Napoli 2-1 Salernitana: Serie A drama as Amir Rrahmani snatches stoppage-time winner against luckless visitors
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Updated 13/01/2024 at 16:59 GMT
Napoli needed a stappage-time winner from Amir Rrahmani to beat bottom side Salernitana and bring an end to a four-match winless run in all competitions. Antonio Candreva gave the visitors a shock lead before Matteo Politano levelled from the penalty spot before the break. As the match was heading for a draw, Rrahmani popped up to snatch the win and spark wild scenes.
Amir Rrahmani of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his side second goal during the Serie A TIM match between SSC Napoli and US Salernitana - Serie A TIM at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 13, 2024 in Naples, Italy
Image credit: Getty Images
Heartbreak for Serie A's bottom side Salernitana meant a great escape for reigning champions Napoli, whose match - and potentially their season - was rescued by injury-time goals in each half.
The first was a penalty awarded - upon review - on the stroke of half-time, dispatched coolly by Matteo Politano, with the winner a cool finish from centre-back Amir Rrahmani.
Despite the home side dominating first-half possession, they failed to advance much towards the opposition’s goal. After the away team endured that tough opening spell, they began to find their feet, growing in confidence with every minute.
And it was Salernitana who fired the first shots, and took the lead in the 29th minute. Antonio Candreva received a neat pass from Domagoj Bradaric on the edge of the box, set himself up with a simple touch before letting rip with a curler into the top-right corner from 25 yards.
Going a goal down may have been what Napoli needed, as only after conceding did they have some productive possession and their first decent efforts from inside the box.
The equaliser came from the spot, as Giovanni Simeone came off worse from a 50-50 squabble with Federico Fazio. After initially turning down appeals for a penalty, the referee awarded it following VAR review. Under some pressure, Politano comfortably dispatched it low and left out of reach of Guillermo Ochoa.
The second half produced much of the same, with Napoli largely in control but unable to make their possession count. Until the dying moments of the match, that is. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went close on 94 minutes, failing to make the most of a good chance inside the box.
Two minutes later a free kick which Salernitana failed to address found Rrahmani in the perfect close range position.
The Kosovan shrugged off the pressure, smashed the ball home and sent the home fans into raptures.
The player was booked for taking his shirt off in celebration, but that won’t bother his manager Walter Mazzarri, who may yet see this as a turning point in what has been a season of struggle.
Talking point - Playing to the whistle
If Napoli have not this season been of the quality they were when they won the Scudetto, they will hopefully have been able to take from this year the importance of character, commitment and fortitude. Had they dropped their heads for the many minutes the match wasn’t going their way, Mazzarri’s men could well have walked off the pitch rueing missed chances, and down two points or even three.
As it was, they kept working and refused to settle for less than the victory against a Salernitana side who themselves are better than their league position would suggest. Whether or not this win signals the start of something more for Napoli it was, on its own terms, something special.
Player of the match - Giovanni Di Lorenzo
If character is what Napoli showed in abundance today, there is only one man who can be credited for geeing up his players. It would be a cliche to call his a captain’s performance but it is Di Lorenzo who wears the armband, and he who ensured Napoli kept pushing forward. Many of the moves, whether they came to anything or not, were built out from the back, and it was their simple creation which gave the players belief and ensured they kept coming.
Player ratings
NAPOLI: Gollini 6; Di Lorenzo 8, Rrahmani 8, Jesus 7, Rui 6; Cajuste 7, Lobotka 6, Gaetana 6; Politano 7, Simeone 6, Kvaratskhelia 7. Subs: Demme 6, Raspadori 7, Zerbin 6
SALERNITANA: Ochoa 7, Gyomber 7, Lovato 6, Fazio 6, Sambia 7, Martegani 7, Legowski 6, Bradaric 6, Candreva 7, Tchaouna 7, Simy. Subs: Pierrozzi, 7 Ikwuemesi 5, Daniliuc 6, Bronn 5
Match Highlights
29’ - Goal for Salernitana! What a goal to give the away side the lead. Candreva receives a simple pass from Bradaric on the edge of the box, setting up the shot with his first touch before curling it into the top-right corner from 25 yards out.
45’+2’ - Penalty for Napoli! Fazio and Simeone both go for the ball and it looked as if the former missed ball and hit player instead. Initially the ref turned Napoli donw, but after VAR review, a spot-kick is awarded.
45’+4 - Goal for Napoli! Right on half-time, Politano coolly dispatches the spot kick into the bottom corner. Ochoa went the right way but it was just too hard and too precise.
90’+6 - Goal for Napoli! That is surely the winner for Napoli. The away side fail to defend a simple free kick into the box and the ball falls at the feet of Rrahmani. The centre half doesn't wobble under pressure, sending the ball into the roof of the net to raptures from the home spectators.
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