Serie A leader Napoli has failed to make the most of a stumble by title rival Inter Milan as it was held to a 1-1 draw by mid-table Udinese.
Napoli were held to a 1-1 draw by Udinese in an eventful match on Sunday, marking their second consecutive draw in Serie A. The result leaves the league leaders with 55 points, while second-placed Inter Milan, who have 51 points, will have the chance to close the gap when they play on Monday.
Napoli struggled to break down their opponents for much of the first half, with Lorenzo Lucca firing an early chance just wide for Udinese.
But the Serie A pace-setters broke the deadlock in the 37th minute as McTominay climbed highest to head Matteo Politano’s corner into the net for his sixth league goal of the season.
Udinese hit back just three minutes later, though, as Napoli gave away possession in their own half and Dutch midfielder Ekkelenkamp fired a dipping strike into the bottom corner from long range.
Napoli dominated for long periods in the second half but failed to create many clear-cut opportunities and dropped points for a second consecutive weekend after a 1-1 draw at Roma last time out.
Following a remarkable run of seven consecutive victories, Napoli’s recent back-to-back draw allows Milan the chance to narrow the gap at the top of the table. If Inter defeats Fiorentina on Monday, they could close the gap to just one point, putting pressure on the leaders who are looking to regain form.
Meanwhile, Udinese remains relatively stable in 10th place with 30 points after today’s draw. The draw extends their recent good form, following a victory over Venezia last weekend that ended a five-match winless run.
Conte Reacts to Napoli’s Draw
Napoli coach Antonio Conte expressed mixed emotions after the match, emphasizing the team’s hard work despite the dropped points.
“We must not confuse reality with what we are doing now, which is truly extraordinary. Trust me, it’s extraordinary,” Conte told DAZN.
“The lads left the field drained tonight, they gave everything to get the victory. It was our ninth game unbeaten, so trust me from the heart when I say this is extraordinary.”
Runjaic Praises Udinese’s Discipline
Udinese coach Kosta Runjaic was proud of his team’s disciplined approach against the league leaders.
“We played with big desire, big discipline, we knew that was our only chance against a big team like Napoli at the moment. I am very happy with the performance, we suffered a lot this evening.”
“When you play against teams like Napoli, you need to work as a team, but also have moments of individual quality too. I saw many of them play fantastic, including Bijol, Solet, Thauvin, but also Atta and Ekkelenkamp.”
The draw keeps Udinese in the top half of the table, holding firm in 10th place on 30 points. They have done well against the big clubs this term, beating Fiorentina and Lazio, holding Bologna, Atalanta and Napoli to stalemates.
“That is important for us, we can go forward with good energy now,” concluded Runjaic.
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