BEVERLY HILLS, February 14, (THEWILL) – There were talks making the rounds that the job of Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso was hanging by a thread after some disappointing results including the semi-final exit from the Coppa Italia in midweek. The team needed to win and show some technical depth to save both their season and their manager’s job.
However, neither appeared possible. They were to achieve that tall order against the Serie A champions Juventus, that had won nine of their last 11 games in all competitions and boasted an unyielding defense. And, they were to overcome such daunting challenge without key players like Belgian striker Dries Mertens and Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
If that was not bad enough for Gattuso’s Napoli, first-choice goalkeeper David Ospina sustained a knock in the warm-up and third-choice stand-in, the Italian Alex Meret, had to step up and take his place. Against a Ronaldo-led Juve side itching to catch up with the pair of Milan leading teams, it seemed as if the fates had conspired to seal Gattuso’s sack.
It turned out to be quite the reverse as Napoli restored their battered pride with a strong showing on Saturday evening by scaling over Andrea Pirlo’s side 1-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, their home grounds.
Although, the hosts needed a penalty to secure all three points, when Juve defender Giorgio Chiellini, playing his 400th top-flight match, was adjudged to have infringed on an opponent in the box, Lorenzo Insigne easily dispatched the spot-kick to give Napoli the advantage over the Old Lady.
Unlike at their meeting during the Supercoppa Italia, where Insigne wasted the golden opportunity to equalise from the spot and Napoli lost, the player was unfazed by any fears of a repeat incident. He went for the roof of the net, ensuring that Juve conceded for the first time in four games.
As the best two defenses in the division battled it out against each other, it was easy to understand why goalscoring opportunities were few and far between especially in the first half hour.
As the clock ticked towards the end of regulation time, Juventus increased the intensity of their attack displaying a desperate sense of urgency especially going forward. Pointman Cristiano Ronaldo fluffed a hat-trick of chances that came his way with two off target and saw Meret, in goal for Napoli, up to the task for the only one on target.
The visitors succeeded in putting the ball in the Napoli net after 62 minutes courtesy of Juve forward Alvaro Morata, but the goal did not stand. It was correctly ruled out for offside against none other than the same penalty-causing Chiellini, who had contested the ball earlier in the move towards the goal.
Pirlo’s men kept up the pressure until the very end, dominating proceedings in the second half the longer it went. But, there was nothing to show for it as the Partenopei’s defence ultimately held firm with relative ease, earning a result that seemed impossible at the onset and giving their manager Gattuso some reprieve.
Much of the credit for the victory must go to their 23-year-old goalkeeper, Meret, who made a case for his inclusion in the first squad. He was excellent throughout, repelling threatening efforts from Federico Chisea and Alvaro Morata, and maintaining the slim lead by his exertions between the sticks for the entire barrage of the game.
For Pirlo, it is different strokes, as Juve is now behind league leaders AC Milan by seven points. There are still 17 more games remaining, which is a long time in football terms. It means there is a long way to go in the title race. Yet, the impressive form of the Milan teams and this result shows the Old Lady has much to do to salvage their season.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
