A tumultuous week didn’t get much better for Napoli as they failed to get past a well organized and confident Genoa side with the match finishing 0–0 on a rainy evening at the Stadio San Paolo.
The Partenopei are now winless in their last four Serie A matches, the club’s longest such streak in over four years, and the first time they have drawn with Genoa at home since 1994.
As a result, Napoli now sit seventh in the Serie A table, while Genoa, who came in with the worst defensive record in the top flight, pick up a vital point which takes them one above the relegation zone.
Things started eventfully, with Lorenzo Insigne having a goal ruled out for offside barely a minute into the match.
It was the visitors who controlled the ball for long stretches, with Thiago Motta’s influence clearly visible in his side’s composure on the ball and willingness to play out of the back. This was made easier by the host’s lack of an effective press and much pressure on the ball in general.
The first half ended with just one shot on target, a Piotr Zielinski effort from distance that Andrei Radu was forced to parry away smartly, and the home side heard whistles as they headed to the dressing room.
After the break, things opened up slightly with both teams finding chances, first Goran Pandev sent a curling shot just wide of David Ospina’s post, and then Dries Mertens forced Radu into another good save.
On the hour mark, Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti replaced Jose Callejon with Fernando Llorente as the Partenopei switched to a three-man front line, but it was the visitors who looked the more likely with Andrea Pinamonti looked certain to open the scoring, but his shot miraculously cleared off the line by Kalidou Koulibaly.
Napoli would have their own golden opportunity as time ran down when substitute Elif Elmas found himself on the end of a Hirving Lozano cross only for Radu to somehow palm away a header that was millimetres from crossing the goalline entirely.
More whistles rained down on the Azzurri players as the final whistle blew and another chance to pick up vital points went begging.
