30 April 2023

Napoli made to wait to wrap up Serie A title after being held by Salernitana

30 April 2023

Napoli failed to secure their first Serie A title since 1990 after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Salernitana.

Luciano Spalletti’s side were handed the chance to win the Scudetto with a record six games to go after Lazio’s 3-1 defeat at Inter Milan, where substitute Lautaro Martinez scored twice to help Inter come from behind with three goals in the last 13 minutes.

And they were on course for the win required when Mathias Olivera headed home a 62nd-minute corner, only for Boulaye Dia to equalise with a curling left-footed shot six minutes from time.

Napoli need just two points from their last six games to win the title and could be crowned champions before their next game at Udinese on Thursday if other results go their way.

Lazio remain second in the table after Juventus could only manage a 1-1 draw at Bologna in the day’s late game, while Fiorentina earlier thrashed bottom side Sampdoria 5-0.

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain were booed off after suffering a 3-1 defeat at home to Lorient.

Enzo Le Fee put the visitors in front after 15 minutes and PSG were reduced to 10 men just five minutes later when Achraf Hakimi was sent off for two bookable offences.

Kylian Mbappe equalised in bizarre circumstances when Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo incorrectly thought a free-kick had been awarded and rolled the ball in front of him, allowing Mbappe to take a touch before scoring into an empty net.

The furious protests of Lorient’s players fell on deaf ears but they had the last laugh as Darlin Yongwa restored their lead shortly before half-time and Bamba Dieng scored a late third just minutes after having a goal ruled out by VAR for offside.

Marseille closed to within five points of PSG after coming from behind to beat Auxerre 2-1.

Birama Toure fired the visitors in front shortly after the half-hour mark, but Cengiz Under equalised on 75 minutes and Alexis Sanchez grabbed the winner just two minutes later.

Monaco’s hopes of Champions League qualification suffered a blow as they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Montpellier, Arnaud Nordin scoring twice for the visitors who are now 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

A 4-2 defeat at Rennes saw Angers relegated to Ligue 2 and Troyes look set to join them after a 1-0 home defeat to Nice left them 10 points from safety.

In Germany’s Bundesliga, Bayern Munich beat bottom side Hertha Berlin 2-0 to move top of the table.

Thomas Tuchel’s side took advantage of Borussia Dortmund being held to a 1-1 draw at Bochum on Friday, with Serge Gnabry opening the scoring on 69 minutes and Kingsley Coman doubling the home side’s lead 10 minutes later.

In the day’s other game, Jonas Wind scored twice as Wolfsburg beat Mainz 3-0, with all three goals coming in the first half an hour.

Atletico Madrid closed to within two points of second-placed Real Madrid in LaLiga courtesy of a 5-2 win at Real Valladolid.

The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead inside 38 minutes before being pegged back by a Cyle Larin penalty and Sergio Escudero’s 74th-minute strike, but an own goal from Joaquin Fernandez and Memphis Depay’s stoppage-time goal secured all three points.

Cadiz leapfrogged Valencia in the table with a 2-1 win over their fellow strugglers, but Getafe missed the chance to do likewise and get out of the relegation zone as they lost 1-0 at Espanyol.

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