NAPLES, ITALY — Third-placed Napoli and fifth-placed Roma shared the spoils in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with Alisson Santos' late thunderbolt denying the visitors all three points in a match that showcased the attacking quality of both sides. The result leaves Napoli on 35 points and Roma on 31 as the race for European qualification intensifies.
The visitors struck first against the run of play in the seventh minute when Donyell Malen finished clinically following a devastating counter-attack. Bryan Zaragoza's incisive pass released the Dutch forward, who made no mistake from the centre of the box, firing high into the net to silence the home crowd. It was a sucker punch for Napoli, who had started brightly but found themselves chasing the game.
The hosts' response was immediate and sustained. Stanislav Lobotka tested Mile Svilar from distance in the 15th minute, forcing the Roma goalkeeper into the first of what would become a string of crucial interventions. Napoli's pressure finally told in the 40th minute when Leonardo Spinazzola restored parity with a magnificent strike from outside the box. The left-sided player collected Eljif Elmas' pass and unleashed a right-footed effort that flew into the top corner, sending the home supporters into raptures.
The second half began with Napoli continuing their assault on the Roma goal. Spinazzola nearly doubled his tally just two minutes after the restart, but Svilar was equal to his left-footed effort from the left side of the box. The Roma goalkeeper was quickly becoming the visitors' most important player, denying Miguel Gutiérrez's header from a difficult angle in the 65th minute after Spinazzola had delivered a dangerous cross.
Just as Napoli appeared to be building momentum toward a winner, the match swung dramatically in Roma's favor. In the 68th minute, Amir Rrahmani brought down Wesley inside the penalty area, leaving referee no choice but to point to the spot. The Napoli defender received a yellow card for his troubles, and the incident also resulted in an injury delay as both Rrahmani and Wesley required treatment. Malen stepped up to convert the penalty with aplomb in the 71st minute, sending his right-footed shot into the top right corner to restore Roma's advantage.
The goal prompted immediate changes from Napoli boss, who withdrew the injured Rrahmani and Spinazzola, introducing Alisson Santos and Mathías Olivera in the 70th minute. The substitutions would prove inspired. Roma made their own adjustments, replacing the injured Wesley with Kostas Tsimikas and introducing Robinio Vaz for Malen in the 72nd minute, while Lorenzo Pellegrini and Niccolò Pisilli made way for Lorenzo Venturino and Neil El Aynaoui in the 65th minute.
Napoli refused to accept defeat, and their persistence was rewarded in the 82nd minute. Giovane, who had entered the fray in the 79th minute alongside Billy Gilmour, turned provider with a perfectly weighted pass to Alisson Santos. The substitute showed composure beyond his years, drilling a right-footed shot from outside the box into the bottom left corner, leaving Svilar with no chance and sending the home crowd into delirium.
The statistics painted a picture of Napoli's territorial dominance. The hosts controlled 61.4% of possession and peppered the Roma goal with 11 shots, putting seven on target. Svilar's five saves were testament to both Napoli's clinical finishing and his own shot-stopping prowess. Roma, by contrast, managed just nine attempts with only two troubling the Napoli goalkeeper, but their counter-attacking threat remained potent throughout.
The closing stages were frantic as both sides pushed for a winner. In the 90th minute, Svilar was called into action once more, saving Miguel Gutiérrez's left-footed effort from outside the box. Billy Gilmour came agonizingly close in the 89th minute, his header from Giovane's cross following a corner sailing just wide. Roma's Robinio Vaz also went close in the 87th minute, his header from Venturino's cross missing the target.
The match was played in a competitive but fair spirit, with both teams committing 14 fouls apiece. Rrahmani's yellow card for Napoli was matched by a caution for Roma, though the referee's name was not recorded. The tactical battle saw both managers make full use of their benches, with Napoli introducing Pasquale Mazzocchi for Matteo Politano in the 85th minute as they searched desperately for a winner that never came.
For Napoli, the draw represents two points dropped in their pursuit of the top two, though they remain firmly in the Champions League places. Roma will feel they deserved more after leading twice, but Svilar's heroics at least secured a valuable point on the road. The visitors' ability to threaten on the break, evidenced by both Malen goals, demonstrated why they remain genuine contenders for European qualification despite sitting fifth.
The result caps a fine run for Napoli before facing Atalanta on February 22, while Roma host Cremonese on the same day looking to build momentum in their push for the top four.