STADIO PAOLO MAZZA (Ferrara) – SPAL held firm on Sunday afternoon to send Napoli packing from Emilia-Romagna disappointed and with the feeling of having dropped two points as they drew 1-1.
The visitors led through Arkadiusz Milik but Gli Spallini hit back soon after and while both sides had chances to win it and the Partenopei dominated possession, Leonardo Semplici’s side will feel deserving of their point.
Napoli took the lead in Ferrara but SPAL fought back for a point. @ConJClancy was at the Paolo Mazza for #FIFattheGames.
Report ? https://t.co/IT8ra4pn2f#SpalNapoli #SerieA pic.twitter.com/uOD5Dfo3VL
— ForzaItalianFootball (@SerieAFFC) October 27, 2019
Strefezza the creator
SPAL don’t boast the creativity they’d perhaps like, but Gabriel Strefezza is someone who can offer them a touch more of a cutting edge in the final third.
The winger assisted Jasmin Kurtic’s equaliser with a clever cutback that took the entire Napoli backline out of the game after charging down the right and his intelligent low centre was right into Kurtic’s path, allowing him to turn home the leveller.
He was similarly impressive against Parma last time out, also claiming an assist for Andrea Petagna’s winner against Parma, he’s not provided an assist in each of his last two appearances in Ferrara.
We did learn in that win over the Crociati though that he has a slightly stormy side that he’ll need to monitor, but should he be able to control that then SPAL could have a real asset on their hands.
SPAL can still be solid
It’s been a cagey enough start to the season for the Ferraresi but they’re starting to show signs of solidifying somewhat again and settling into 2019/20.
But they’re showing now that they can be the SPAL we’ve come to know in Serie A. The Biancazzurri beat Lazio at home already this term and have now held Napoli, too.
Oddly, Igor has been playing a central role in defence as well, and hasn’t looked out of place, while Arkadiusz Reca is offering a lot on the flank.
Fabian is everything
Fabian Ruiz’s arrival in the second half changed the game. Napoli constantly sought the Spaniard in the hope of him creating something, and he took them up a gear.
Always elegant in possession, Fabian was his usual silk self but still couldn’t quite find the precision required with his final touch.
Within moments of coming on he drifted infield and fired a shot over Etrit Berisha’s bar. Learning from his earlier miss, he had another shot from 20 yards that he opted to curl from the left to the near post. There just wasn’t enough whip on the strike though and it bounced back off the post when it looked destined to find the corner.
In his 35 minutes on the pitch, he proved his importance to the Partenopei, not that it was ever in doubt.
Whatever the Partenopei achieve this season, the No.8 will be play a central role.
