Napoli 3-3 Roma: Balerdi's brace salvages a point at the Maradona

Roma came back twice from behind to draw 3-3 at the Maradona against Napoli, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini felt his side had dropped two points. Speaking after the match, he praised his team's character and growing belief, saying the performance showed Roma can compete with many sides in Italy. Roma were under pressure for much of the first half-hour and struggled to get out of their own half, with Napoli holding the upper hand. Gasperini admitted the early spell was the one part of the game he was unhappy with. His side then found a way to get to grips with the hosts, and they levelled before half-time and continued to improve after the break. Gasperini said: "There is awareness, we are playing good football. The morale is high and the feeling is that we have lost two points. But given how the match went, it is fine like this." He added: "We played against a strong Napoli and if you are competitive against teams of this calibre it means in Italy you can compete with many teams." On the early phase of the game he said: "I am satisfied, except for the first half-hour. Napoli were superior there, we suffered it, we were in difficulty and struggled to get out. They had an extra gear." He continued: "We managed to get to grips with them and we grew, already at the end of the first half. In the second we played well, we had inside us the feeling that we could win the match, with great conviction." McTominay's goal to make it 3-2 was a heavy blow, Gasperini said, because there was little time left to respond. He added: "But inside us we felt strong and we were good at taking it back again." He also singled out Soulé and Ndicka, saying: "Soulé played an extraordinary game, exactly like Ndicka." Balerdi was decisive with a brace, and the result suggests Roma have come through another high-pressure away trip, showing they can stay in matches even at the most difficult moments.

Roma goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini was at the heart of a wild 3-3 draw at Napoli, with a number of the goals passing through his hands. Napoli-Roma finished 3-3 at the Maradona, and the points Roma gained, or the two they lost, were decided largely by their goalkeeper. Before this match, Gollini had kept a clean sheet in Serie A, but his unbeaten run ended in the 28th minute when Anguissa scored with an overhead kick. The shot was not especially difficult, but Gollini saw the ball only at the last moment. The move began with a free kick won by a mistake from the keeper himself: his long clearance to Cristante was overhit, and the midfielder accelerated and fouled De Bruyne. After Napoli took the lead, Gollini recovered and kept Roma in the game. He saved with a sharp reaction to deny Olivera from close range, and later came off his line, outside the area, to stop De Bruyne. His teammates then fought back from 2-0 to 2-2, but Napoli regained the lead through McTominay. The goal surprised Gollini in particular, as a precise but not particularly fast effort from 25 metres went in at his near post.

Roma came back from behind to draw 3-3 with Napoli at the Maradona, with Argentines Matías Soulé and Balerdi leading a late recovery. The match was played in front of a crowd that applauded the entertaining contest at the end, despite a grey afternoon without sun. Napoli dominated long spells, with Mctominay scoring twice and Anguissa adding a spectacular overhead kick, while Roma finished with 15 shots on target against Napoli's 24 attempts on goal. Roma spent much of the first hour struggling to find a way through, often leaving space for the counter-attacks orchestrated by De Bruyne and his team-mates. Napoli had the chance to settle on their two-goal lead but did not do so, and Roma kept believing until seconds from the final whistle, as they had against Atalanta earlier in the season. Gian Piero Gasperini set his side up without a recognised striker and with a limited midfield, yet still found a result. The draw leaves Roma with some new defensive concerns, as in this one match they conceded as many goals as in all their previous matchdays combined. Allegri, sent off for protesting late in the match, was criticised for being slow to make substitutions, leaving De Bruyne on the pitch with little left in his legs. Allegri lost his composure and left the field throwing his jacket, which his staff held back to prevent further consequences after his red card. Gasperini's approach of vertical football contrasted with Allegri's low block and systematic counter-attacks, which had seemed to vindicate Napoli's plan for much of the game. Napoli now find themselves another opportunity missed in their pursuit of the league, while Gasperini's side remain in the mix at the top with their objectives still in sight.

Roma came back twice from behind to draw 3-3 at the Maradona against Napoli, and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini felt his side had dropped two points. Speaking after the match, he praised his team's character and growing belief, saying the performance showed Roma can compete with many sides in Italy. Roma were under pressure for much of the first half-hour and struggled to get out of their own half, with Napoli holding the upper hand. Gasperini admitted the early spell was the one part of the game he was unhappy with. His side then found a way to get to grips with the hosts, and they levelled before half-time and continued to improve after the break. Gasperini said: "There is awareness, we are playing good football. The morale is high and the feeling is that we have lost two points. But given how the match went, it is fine like this." He added: "We played against a strong Napoli and if you are competitive against teams of this calibre it means in Italy you can compete with many teams." On the early phase of the game he said: "I am satisfied, except for the first half-hour. Napoli were superior there, we suffered it, we were in difficulty and struggled to get out. They had an extra gear." He continued: "We managed to get to grips with them and we grew, already at the end of the first half. In the second we played well, we had inside us the feeling that we could win the match, with great conviction." McTominay's goal to make it 3-2 was a heavy blow, Gasperini said, because there was little time left to respond. He added: "But inside us we felt strong and we were good at taking it back again." He also singled out Soulé and Ndicka, saying: "Soulé played an extraordinary game, exactly like Ndicka." Balerdi was decisive with a brace, and the result suggests Roma have come through another high-pressure away trip, showing they can stay in matches even at the most difficult moments.

Massimiliano Allegri's post-match outburst after Napoli's 3-3 draw with Roma at the Maradona has sparked a row, with Roma hitting back that their Champions League qualification was earned on the pitch. The Napoli coach was sent off late in the match, after Balerdi's equaliser, when Napoli protested a foul in the build-up to the goal. Away from the official microphones, Allegri reportedly said: "Sempre loro… L'anno scorso gli hanno messo la Champions in tasca. L'ho pagata con il Milan". The remark refers to last season, when Roma secured Champions League qualification on the pitch while Allegri's Milan finished outside the top four. According to Fabrizio Romano, posting on his WhatsApp channel, Roma were "surprised and irritated" by the coach's comments and consider the attack "fuori luogo", or out of place. The club's position is clear: "la qualificazione alla Champions della passata stagione è stata conquistata sul campo, senza alcun presunto aiuto arbitrale", meaning the qualification was won on the pitch, without any alleged refereeing help. The response has not come through an official statement but was relayed clearly after Allegri's words began circulating overnight, and the tone shows how much the remark irritated the club. Allegri had already shown his frustration before the cameras, saying he was too angry to analyse the match clearly and contesting the referee's decision to send him off. His private comment turned a protest about the officiating at Napoli-Roma into a wider dispute, reopening a wound Allegri evidently carries from last season. Roma, however, consider that qualification the result of their own route and their consistent form across the league, and do not intend to accept insinuations of any other kind.

Roma came back from behind to draw 3-3 with Napoli at the Maradona, with Argentines Matías Soulé and Balerdi leading a late recovery. The match was played in front of a crowd that applauded the entertaining contest at the end, despite a grey afternoon without sun. Napoli dominated long spells, with Mctominay scoring twice and Anguissa adding a spectacular overhead kick, while Roma finished with 15 shots on target against Napoli's 24 attempts on goal. Roma spent much of the first hour struggling to find a way through, often leaving space for the counter-attacks orchestrated by De Bruyne and his team-mates. Napoli had the chance to settle on their two-goal lead but did not do so, and Roma kept believing until seconds from the final whistle, as they had against Atalanta earlier in the season. Gian Piero Gasperini set his side up without a recognised striker and with a limited midfield, yet still found a result. The draw leaves Roma with some new defensive concerns, as in this one match they conceded as many goals as in all their previous matchdays combined. Allegri, sent off for protesting late in the match, was criticised for being slow to make substitutions, leaving De Bruyne on the pitch with little left in his legs. Allegri lost his composure and left the field throwing his jacket, which his staff held back to prevent further consequences after his red card. Gasperini's approach of vertical football contrasted with Allegri's low block and systematic counter-attacks, which had seemed to vindicate Napoli's plan for much of the game. Napoli now find themselves another opportunity missed in their pursuit of the league, while Gasperini's side remain in the mix at the top with their objectives still in sight.

Roma secured a draw at Napoli's Stadio Diego Armando, the Maradona, thanks to a comeback driven by their Argentine players. All three of Roma's goals came from Argentines: Matías Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi, who scored a brilliant brace. Gasperini has had little success against Allegri, and the head-to-head record offered little hope before kick-off, with the two most experienced coaches in Serie A facing each other. Gasperini avoided defeat through his substitutions, the team's response and the fierce determination of the Argentines. Roma remain unbeaten in Serie A. Balerdi came on in the second half alongside Castro and Molina to add fresh impetus. Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini were both injured and missing. Roma struggled early on to press with their usual aggression in midfield, and in the first half a magnificent bicycle kick from Anguissa upset the coach's tactical plans. At the start of the second half, the familiar dip in intensity allowed Napoli to double their lead quickly, and Roma also showed too many errors in build-up play. Without Dybala, Pellegrini, Koné and Svilar, the side lacked dynamism and creativity. Soulé was the only one regularly looking for Malen, who was often far from the area and struggled through the tight lines of the Napoli defence. Guido D'Ubaldo noted that this squad needs a few more players and a longer bench to provide constant alternatives, particularly in attack. Despite the difficulties, and a Napoli side that were struggling in the league but remained tough opponents, the response after the break was that of a great team. Roma scored two goals in four minutes, and then Balerdi struck the decisive goal two minutes from time. The draw, coming after results against Inter and Como, keeps Roma firmly close to the top of the table. It shows that, with the anger and quality of the Argentines, the path the club has taken is the right one.

Napoli and Roma drew 3-3 at the Maradona in a wild game that Roma will see as a useful point, given how the match had gone, while Napoli feel they have been robbed. Anguissa put the hosts ahead in the first half with a spectacular acrobatic finish that left Gollini helpless. McTominay doubled the lead with a header early in the second half and Napoli pressed Roma hard. Roma responded after their substitutions. Malen and Soulé combined for the equaliser, and Soulé's curling shot made it 2-1. Five minutes later, substitute Balerdi headed Roma level. Napoli kept pushing and regained the lead in the 83rd minute, when McTominay struck a sharp shot for another brace. That was his second double after the one he scored in the Champions League against Bodo Glimt. Gasperini's side refused to give up, and in the dying seconds Balerdi rose highest to head in again. Napoli then complained about a foul, and Allegri was sent off for protesting. The result means Lazio and Inter can extend their lead at the top of the table. For Roma, the draw ends a match that looked lost at 3-2. Balerdi was the decisive figure, scoring both of Roma's late equalisers, and the team's response after the changes was the difference between defeat and a point. Soulé was also praised for another strong performance. In the match ratings, Balerdi and McTominay each received an 8, and Soulé a 7.5. The match ratings also carried the reactions from the pitch. McTominay's goals meant he now has two doubles in recent outings, and Napoli will feel the late equaliser deeply. Roma's ability to score three times away from home, and to level twice after falling behind, showed the spirit that Gasperini has asked for all season.

Napoli and Roma drew 3-3 in a chaotic Serie A match at the Maradona, a result that felt more like a reprieve for Roma than a setback. Anguissa gave the hosts the lead in the first half with an acrobatic finish that left Gollini motionless. Early in the second half McTominay headed Napoli 2-0 up, and the hosts looked in control. Roma came back after their substitutions. Malen and Soulé combined for the 2-1, with Soulé finishing with a curling shot. Five minutes later, substitute Balerdi levelled the score. Napoli kept pushing and regained the lead in the 83rd minute through a sharp strike from McTominay, his second goal of the match and another brace after the one he scored in the Champions League against Bodo/Glimt. Roma refused to give up. Almost on the stroke of 90 minutes, Balerdi rose higher than anyone to head home an equaliser again. Napoli protested that they had been fouled, and Allegri was sent off for dissent. The game ended 3-3, with each side taking a point. Gasperini's side can take some credit for a comeback, since Balerdi twice rescued them when defeat looked likely. Lazio and Inter, however, can both move further clear at the top of the table thanks to the dropped points.

Roma goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini was at the heart of a wild 3-3 draw at Napoli, with a number of the goals passing through his hands. Napoli-Roma finished 3-3 at the Maradona, and the points Roma gained, or the two they lost, were decided largely by their goalkeeper. Before this match, Gollini had kept a clean sheet in Serie A, but his unbeaten run ended in the 28th minute when Anguissa scored with an overhead kick. The shot was not especially difficult, but Gollini saw the ball only at the last moment. The move began with a free kick won by a mistake from the keeper himself: his long clearance to Cristante was overhit, and the midfielder accelerated and fouled De Bruyne. After Napoli took the lead, Gollini recovered and kept Roma in the game. He saved with a sharp reaction to deny Olivera from close range, and later came off his line, outside the area, to stop De Bruyne. His teammates then fought back from 2-0 to 2-2, but Napoli regained the lead through McTominay. The goal surprised Gollini in particular, as a precise but not particularly fast effort from 25 metres went in at his near post.

Roma came from behind twice to draw 3-3 with Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Serie A matchday eight, and Gian Piero Gasperini's side were rescued by Leonardo Balerdi, who came off the bench and scored a brilliant brace. Giallorossi.net's player ratings, written by Andrea Fiorini, gave Balerdi an 8 and Gasperini a 7 for a difficult away trip made without several important players. Gollini was rated 6, with a superb save from Olivera standing out, though he was uncertain with crosses into the box and could have done more on McTominay's shot. Ndicka was rated 6.5 for winning a physical duel with Hojlund, who had little impact. Hermoso, also 6.5, attacked often and tried several times to shoot, but his efforts were always deflected for corners, and Politano often took him on. Mancini was rated 5.5, lacking quality in attack and pace in defence, improving slightly after the break. Rensch, rated 6, made a crucial intervention on Lang but was rated as playing with the handbrake on, offering little going forward. Molina, who replaced him at 58', was rated 6.5 after Gasperini deployed him on the left, where his runs brought energy to the flank. De Roon, rated 6.5, grew into the game and was a wall in the second half. Pisilli was rated 5.5 and was not especially bright, with disappointing set-piece deliveries. Castro, who came on for him at 58', was rated 6 and gave the team a jolt, unsettling the Napoli defence. Wesley was rated 6, described as confused but running tirelessly, with a fine cross for Cristante that hit the post, and an assist for Balerdi's equaliser late on. Cristante was rated 6.5 for his physicality and a few good chances, though he lacked quality with the final pass. Soule was rated 7.5, a constant threat who troubled Napoli and set up Malen inside the area, though Malen wasted the chance. In the second half Soule struck a stunning left-foot shot that revitalised Roma and changed the momentum of the match. Malen was rated 6, wasting a penalty by hitting a weak effort in the area, and was saved only by his assist for Soule. Mora came on late without a rating. Gasperini was praised for his substitutions, which proved decisive in the final 3-3.

Balerdi came off the bench to score a brace and Roma salvaged a 3-3 draw at Napoli after trailing 2-0 and then 3-2, with McTominay's goal coming late in the game. Soulé was the outstanding attacking performer, with a stunning left-footed strike from distance among his contributions. Gasperini's side had to respond twice in a match that swung back and forth, and the equaliser came in a dramatic finish. The match was a test of character for a Roma side that had dropped in the first half-hour. Gasperini was not satisfied with the team in the opening thirty minutes, and the coach's tactical changes at half-time helped turn the game. Cristante returned to the lineup and brought variety to the midfield, providing Roma's first shot on goal. Gollini was at the centre of the defensive effort, making a Neuer-style rush off his line to deny De Bruyne and then a Svilar-like save from a cross by the same Belgian. Match ratings from the Italian report: Gollini 6, Mancini 6 (replaced by Ghilardi at 82 minutes), N'Dicka 6, Hermoso 6.5, Rensch 6 (replaced by Molina 6.5 at 57 minutes), Pisilli 5.5 (replaced by Castro 6 at 57 minutes), De Roon 6.5, Wesley 5.5, Cristante 7, Soulé 7.5, Malen 6.5 (replaced by Mora at 83 minutes), Gasperini 7. Balerdi, who came on for Hermoso at 57 minutes and was booked soon after, was rated 8. The report said Balerdi produced a double inside half an hour, with his finish summed up as the Argentine 'claw of the lion'. De Roon was credited for clearing a Hojlund shot off the line and for the cross that set up Balerdi's header. Soulé was praised for his dribbling, his defensive work, and his winning strike. The report noted Hermoso's ambition, including a long-range shot that struck the crossbar and a challenge on Hojlund, and Malen's assist for Soulé. Wesley was described as being under pressure from Politano on the right, while Pisilli was criticised for shyness in the first half and for his corner delivery. Gasperini's side finished the game with a point after Roma came back from a two-goal deficit and then from a 3-2 scoreline to draw level.