Napoli 1-1 Atalanta: Zapata saves Partenopei blushes

Date: 22nd March 2015 at 10:44pm
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Napoli v AtalantaAtalanta drew with Napoli 1-1 at the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday night in Serie A thanks to a late goal from Duvan Zapata.

Despite having Alejandro Gomez sent off, La Dea took the lead though Mauricio Pinilla but Zapata equalised just before the final whistle, to make sure Atalanta’s relegation worries were still in the air.

The hosts almost took the lead after five minutes when a Miguel Britos header was blocked by German Denis, with the resulting corner corner leading to nothing, before Gokhan Inler also had an attempt blocked.

Manolo Gabbiadini had the ball in the back of the net for Napoli after a pass across the line from a few inches out, but it was ruled out by the referee.

Mariano Andujar then took a slight knock as he tipped over a Guglielmo Stendardo header from an Alejandro Gomez cross to the top left of the goal.

Atalanta’s Denis then had a shot from outside of the box saved, before yet another effort was stopped, this time preventing Giulio Migliaccio getting his name on the score sheet for Edoardo Reja’s men.

The visitors kept piling on the pressure and they hit the bat after quarter of an hour when Alejandro Gomez powered the ball from inside the penalty area, before 23-year-old Gabbiadini’s shot from inside the box went straight at the Atalanta keeper.

The deadlock was almost broken by Rafael Benitez’s men just after the half hour mark when a Gabbiadini free kick went straight at the Atalanta keeper, but Marco Sportiello couldn’t keep hold of the ball and the defence rapidly cleared it away.

Twenty-two-year-old Sportiello was then called into action again to save a Gonzalo Higuain shot just before half time.

However, neither side could open the scoring in the first 45 minutes and the match went into the break goalless.

The second half couldn’t have got off to a worse start for Reja and his side, as Gomez was sent off for his second yellow for a foul on Jose Callejon and La Dea were reduced to 10 men.

The Partenopei almost took advantage of this a few minutes later, but Gabbiadini’s shot from outside the box slightly went wide to the right of the goal and Atalanta were let off the hook.

The tables then turned and Napoli went behind just before the 70 minute mark thanks to Mauricio Pinilla when he took advantage of an Henrique mistake in the Ciucciarelli defence.

The hosts nearly equalised immediately through 3-year-old Inler but his effort was saved by Sportiello.

Atalanta almost doubled their lead but Marco D’Alessandro’s effort from outside the penalty area went just wide to the left of the goal.

However, Napoli equalised just before full time when Marek Hamsik’s cross met the head of Duvan Zapata and the 23-year-old headed home.

Atalanta hearts were in mouths when a Hamsik shot fizzed just wide, but they couldn’t get another goal and the match finished in a draw.

 

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