Sports

Napoli keeps Juve’s party on hold

April 08, 2019
Genoa’s Stefano Sturaro (R) tackles Napoli’s midfielder Allan during their Italian Serie A match at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples Sunday. — AFP
Genoa’s Stefano Sturaro (R) tackles Napoli’s midfielder Allan during their Italian Serie A match at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples Sunday. — AFP

MILAN — Napoli drew 1-1 with ten-man Genoa Sunday to ensure that Juventus will have to wait another week to seal an eighth consecutive Serie A title.

The champion has a 20-point advantage on second-placed Napoli, whom it has beaten in both their head-to-head clashes, with seven games to go.

Juventus, which beat AC Milan 2-1 Saturday, needed Napoli to lose to win the Scudetto for the 35th time, ahead of its Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Ajax next week.

A draw next weekend at lowly SPAL would be enough for Massimiliano Allegri’s side to win the title which would be the first in Italy for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Despite its numerical advantage, Napoli struggled to contain the visitors.

Genoa went a man down when Stefano Sturaro was sent off on 28 minutes following a VAR review for a diving studs-up tackle on Allan.

Dries Mertens blasted in the opener on 34 minutes, but Darko Lazovic pulled Genoa level just before the break.

Genoa goalkeeper Ionut Radu ensured his 14th-placed side went away with a point with a string of fine saves including two late on Mertens and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Atalanta missed the chance to move fourth and into the Champions League berths at the expense of AC Milan with a 0-0 draw against Inter Milan at the San Siro.

The side from Bergamo were without suspended Colombian striker Duvan Zapata, who has scored 20 Serie A goals this season, and had to settle for a point as Inter consolidated third position.

Inter is five points ahead of city rival Milan which is ahead of Atalanta on goal difference.

The race for Champions League football next season remains tight with just Atalanta, Roma, Lazio and Torino all within touching distance of the top four.

Claudio Ranieri’s Roma returned to the Europa League places after a 1-0 win over Sampdoria Saturday, and is sixth one point off the Champions League spots.

Lazio was held 2-2 at home against Sassuolo and sits seventh, three points off the top four, but with a game in hand, and just ahead of Torino.

PSG draws with Strasbourg

Paris St Germain’s Ligue 1 title celebrations were delayed Sunday when it dropped its first points at home this season in a 2-2 draw against Racing Strasbourg.

Victory would have given PSG its eighth Ligue 1 title after Lille earlier drew 1-1 at Stade de Reims but Sunday’s draw left Thomas Tuchel’s side on 81 points from 30 games.

Second-placed Lille has 61 points from 31 matches.

Eric Choupo-Moting’s early opener was canceled out by Nuno Da Costa before Anthony Goncalves put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute.

Thilo Kehrer leveled in the 82nd minute but that was too little, too late for PSG.

PSG will wrap up its sixth title in the last seven seasons if it avoids defeat at Lille next Sunday. — Agencies


April 08, 2019
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