Napoli climbs to the summit of Serie A following Scott McTominay's decisive strike
Things are heating up in the Italian Serie A, and the latest action is proving to be nothing short of nail-biting. On Sunday, both Inter Milan and SSC Napoli faced off against AS Roma and Torino, respectively, with each match having significant implications for the title race.
Unfortunately, Friday and Saturday saw no action due to the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, causing a mass rescheduling of fixtures. As a result, all the action took place on Sunday and Monday.
Inter Milan's defense of their title took a hit on Sunday when they dropped a 1-0 decision at home to AS Roma. Matias Soule scored the deciding goal for Roma in the 22nd minute, surprising both teams as the ball bounced around the Inter box. This loss knocked Inter out of the top spot earlier in the day, opening up a three-point gap between them and the new leaders, SSC Napoli.
Meanwhile, Napoli made their move in the late Sunday evening match against Torino. Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay provided the crucial offense, netting a brace to lead his team to a 2-0 victory. McTominay's first goal came in the seventh minute when he tapped in from the near post, with his second arriving four minutes before halftime. McTominay's heroics now see him just one goal shy of Napoli's leading scorer, Romelu Lukaku, with 11 scores to his name.
"Three losses in one week hurts, and we're not used to such a run," Inter coach Simone Inzaghi lamented after the match. "We need to try and get our energy back, and we'll go to Barcelona with a lot of respect for this team, but without fear."
The win pushed Roma up to sixth place on 60 points, two away from qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. However, Inter could be without defender Benjamin Pavard for their upcoming Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona after the French international limped off in the 15th minute with an ankle issue.
With just four matches remaining in the season, both Inter and Napoli remain title contenders. AS Roma's victory over Inter may have impacted the final standings, but their exact table position is unclear. As of the latest available data, Inter is now second, while Napoli sits atop the pack, followed closely by Atalanta and AC Milan.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on the Italian Serie A as it all comes down to the wire!
- The surprising 1-0 victory by AS Roma over Inter Milan on Sunday has increased the risk for Inter in the Italian Serie A title race, as they are now second, three points behind leaders SSC Napoli.
- In the same match, Matias Soule scored the winning goal for AS Roma in the 22nd minute, providing a significant kick-start for their European-leagues aspirations, aiming to secure a spot for the UEFA Champions League.
- Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay's brace helped Napoli secure a 2-0 victory against Torino on Sunday, moving Napoli up further in the Serie A standings, challenging their opponents for the 2023 Italian football championship.
- The UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona might be at stake for Inter Milan due to Benjamin Pavard's potential absence after limping off with an ankle issue during their match against AS Roma.
