Napoli Give Serie A Leaders Inter Milan Reprieve With Bologna Draw

Napoli let Serie A leaders Inter Milan off the hook on Monday after being held to a 1-1 draw at Champion League chasers Bologna, who missed the chance to move into third place. Antonio Conte's team looked to be moving one point behind champions Inter when Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa opened the scoring in the 18th minute at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara. Anguissa's goal came in a fine first half from Napoli but Bologna finished stronger and Dan Ndoye gave the hosts a deserved point when he backheeled Jens Odgaard's low cross in off the crossbar in the 64th minute.

And Napoli had Simone Scuffet, in for ill first-choice goalkeeper Alex Meret, to thank when he brilliantly palmed away Emil Holm's powerful header in the final minute before Santiago Castro failed to react on the rebound.

"That was a chance to get all thee points, it would have given us the reward for our fabulous second half," said Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano.

"We kept them in their own half, created plenty of promising situations. We'll take the point but I'm very happy with the second half which was brilliant from my players."

Second-placed Napoli stay three points behind Inter who had given their rivals an opening by throwing away a two-goal half-time lead in their 2-2 draw at Parma on Saturday.

That gap will boost Inter before they take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, as Simone Inzaghi's team have a far tougher run-in even without their European commitments and Italian Cup semi-final with AC Milan.

Napoli's final seven league fixtures are all against teams in the bottom half of the table while Inter have to play Bologna, Roma and Lazio who are all trying to qualify for the Champions League.

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