Serie A: Race for the Scudetto hots up as Napoli’s Osimhen emerges Player of The Week

Three last-gasp 2-2 draws characterised the latest weekend in Serie A: a point earned by Roma, Inter Milan and Lazio against Milan, Monza and Empoli respectively. Three different draws, but of the same relevance. And Napoli resumed the path of leaders as they won against Sampdoria. Let’s see what happened in Serie A…

MILAN vs ROMA 2-2

It was also the most important match, because Milan had to win to stay attached to the train for first and second place, while Roma had to follow up on the home win against Bologna and hope to stay in line for the fight for fourth place, the real Jose Mourinho goal in the championship.

The match was opened by Pierre Kalulu’s header following a corner kick, where however the responsibilities of Roger Ibanez and Rui Patricio were evident. The 2-0 goal also arrived during the second half, at the end of a counter-attack, scored by Tommaso Pobega. The game seemed to be over, with the Giallorossi out of the match for 87 minutes, when yet another perfect corner kick from Lorenzo Pellegrini was aimed at the head of Ibanez who scored the 2-1 goal.

In the 93rd minute Tammy Abraham settled the game, giving Roma the equaliser. There were no scoring chances for the two teams, there was a lot of defensive attention, because the stakes were very high, but Italian football is beautiful and people like it a lot especially for matches like this, which are played on the edge of nerves.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – OSIMHEN

He’s often the player of the week, but it’s not our fault, the Napoli forward is simply often among the best players in Serie A.

Against Sampdoria, in a particularly emotional and complicated stadium to play in for the tribute to Sinisa Mihajlovic and Gianluca Vialli (both whom passed away in the last weeks…), and after the penalty saved by Emil Audero from Matteo Politano, as always it was he who unlocked the match and gave Napoli the advantage, a goal which put a difficult match on the right path, allowing Luciano Spalletti’s team to regain ground for the first place.

The Nigerian striker is on his tenth goal in thirteen Serie A games, to which must also be added three assists, with an average of one goal every 109 minutes. These are amazing numbers, which give the right dimension to Osimhen’s importance within Napoli’s game dynamics. It’s not just for the many goals he scores, but it’s also for the weight of the goals (like the one scored at Roma, a real super goal) and the contribution he gives to the team in terms of play and support.

There are many coaches after him, but Napoli won’t let go the star who is leading Spalletti’s team.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES OF THE WEEK – TAMMY ABRAHAM, FEDE CHIESA

Great players make the difference, even in a bad period. Last weekend it was the turn of two players that the Roma and Juventus fans were waiting for with great anxiety, because of their enormous technical potential.

They are Tammy Abraham and Federico Chiesa. One scored, deciding the draw between Milan and Roma with a true striker’s goal in the last minute of the match, the other didn’t score, but made the decisive assist for Juventus to win against Udinese.

The Englishman struggled a lot in the first part of the season, he was unable to find his way to goal consistently, so much so that he lost a place in Qatar under England coach Gareth Southgate.

in the 93rd minute, when Milan were leading 2-1, he took advantage of a short clearance from Ciprian Tatarusanu and sent the ball in with an Inzaghi-like goal. It could be the start of a new season for him.

Chiesa, on the other hand, unlocked the match against Udinese with a great individual play: a vertical ball from LeandroParedes, perfect stop with the chest and an immediate cross into the area for Danilo, who scored the winning goal. Max Allegri has missed the young striker so much, in fact due to injury he was unable to count on him until the last few games. A new beginning for two Serie A soccer stars?

SURPRISES OF THE WEEK- LAZIO vs EMPOLI 2-2, MONZA vs INTER 2-2

No one would have ever expected two draws from these two matches, not because Empoli and Monza don’t have enough talent, but because Inter came from their amazing victory over Napoli and because Lazio had to win after the defeat against Lecce: instead the teams of Simone Inzaghi and Maurizio Sarri have missed a great opportunity.

The Biancocelesti were leading 2-0 against Empoli, but in the last minutes of the match, about ten, they conceded two goals to the Tuscans. So much disappointment for the Lazio fans, who booed for a long time at the end of the game, and for Sarri. A single point between Lecce and Empoli is definitely not the start of the year that the Biancocelesti coach expected.

Disappointment also for Inter: first the Nerazzurri had taken the lead with Matteo Darmian, immediately caught out by a great shot from Patrick Ciurria. Lautaro had brought Inter back in front, tackling Pablo Marì with an intense pressing, but in the 93rd minute Monza managed to find the equaliser thanks to an own goal from Denzel Dumfries.

Big complaints from Inter about the refereeing, but the missed opportunity was massive.