Parma and Napoli played out an entertaining 2-2 draw on Sunday evening in Serie A at the Stadio Tardini.
Parma twice took the lead through Raffaele Palladino and Cristobal Jorquera while Manolo Gabbiadini and Dries Mertens both equalised for the Partenopei but they were not able to push on for the win.
The Ducali took the lead in the ninth minute through Palladino after Napoli failed to clear a corner and the winger found himself in the right place to profit from the ensuing scramble and tap home.
Napoli looked to respond and the equaliser didn’t seem far away following some good interplay between Manolo Gabbiadini and Marek Hamsik on the edge of the area but the home’s side defence was there to put the ball out for a corner.
Gabbiadini equalised for the Partenopei after Hamsik picked out the Italian who had loads of space inside the area and he placed the ball into the far post past the onrushing Antonio Mirante and Pedro Mendes who almost recovered to clear off the line.
Parma restored their lead in the 32nd minute when a free kick was rolled short to Cristobal Jorquera who hit across the ball from range and the ball’s curling trajectory caught out Mariano Andujar in the Napoli goal.
Palladino had a chance to test the ropey Andujar in the 41st minute after a quick break but his duo of shots couldn’t find a way through the Azzurri defence and Parma went into the break 2-1 up.
Napoli almos levelled in the 48th minute when Hamsik won a header from a corner kick but Mirante was there to dive to his right and tip over.
It seemed that the substitute Jose Callejon would restore parity for Napoli in the 55th minute after Mirante failed to claim a cross from but the Spaniard’s strike hit the post and rebounded into the Parma goalkeeper who did brilliantly not to concede an own goal.
Substitute Gonzalo Higuain had a sight of goal in the 64th minute after bringing the ball down on his chest inside the area but his first shot was saved and Mirante was able to save the Argentine’s follow-up header despite being stranded on the floor.
The Partenopei continued to press forwards in the 67th minute but Higuain’s powerful strike from inside the area was blocked and Raul Albiol headed wide from the subsequent corner.
Dries Mertens capitalised on Napoli’s pressure in the 71st minute after a clever turn on the edge of the area gave him space to run into before opening up his body and placing the ball into the far post.
McDonald Mariga almost restored Parma’s lead against the run of play in the 77th minute after a fortunate rebound took the ball into his path inside the area but Andujar was there to close the Kenyan down.
Napoli continued to press but couldn’t find a way past the excellent Mirante whose performance gave Parma a hard-fought point and Mariga even came close to winning it for Parma with a late counterattack.
