Serie A SRL Round-Up | AC Milan, Napoli drop points, AS Roma win thriller and much more
AS Roma kept the pressure on the top four with the win
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AC Milan could only manage to get a single point from their fixture against SPAL, while Napoli could fare no better against Atalanta in their game. On the other hand, Verona and AS Roma scripted victories in each of their respective games while Fiorentina and Sassuolo played out a goalless draw.
Spal 1 -1 AC Milan
Even though the match result would have had no impact on Spal, as they as good as relegated, a win for Milan could have enhanced their chances of a Champions League spot. An inspiring start from Spal did not yield them much apart from a few shots on goal, while AC Milan did manage to take the lead in the 20th minute of the game. The goal did not hurt Spal, they continued with a similar tempo and subsequently equalized eight minutes later.
While it was expected that Milan would show a bit of urgency in their game, it was to be. In fact, both sides played on equal footing, creating chances occasionally to keep the game moving. If you thought that a goal at the end of the game would have done some justice to a boring second half, it never arrived, as the match ended 1-1. Statistically, Spal was much ahead with a better shots ratio (17 to 10) and more dangerous attacks, accounting for a total 56 against Milan’s 45.
Verona 3 -2 Parma
With not much difference in their positions on the table, Verona and Parma started the game making swift moves from either end. A couple of shots each at the goal set the tone of the game in the first quarter itself. Parma broke the deadlock in the 19th minute of the game. The cut-throat contest continued, while Verona had an added urge to settle the scores, and it paid off. The hosts restored parity in the 42nd minute, following it up with a second one just three minutes later.
On the backfoot, Parma up the ante in the after the re-start, while Verona not only resisted them but also countered with authority. The battle for supremacy continued into the latter stages of the game when Verona doubled the lead by adding a third in the 88th minute. Parma’s late rescue saw them pull one back in the stoppage time, which was not enough for them. The visitors did have more shots at the target (10) the Verona (5), but the conversion rate made the difference.
Atalanta FC 2 - 2 SSC Napoli
Atalanta were firm favourites to see off the match with a win, but they were given a tough fight by men from Naples. From the first five minutes of the match, it was evident that La Dea had no time to waste and netted two goals in the 4th and 6th minute respectively. Even though the Gli Azzurri's pulled one back a minute after conceding the second one, they failed to level the scores in the first half. Napoli ended up taking five shots at the goal in the first period, one more than the hosts.
Atalanta did start on the front foot following the re-start and even managed to maintain the lead, it was not enough. Napoli’s never-say-die attitude paid off at the end, with them scoring the equalizer in the 90th minute to snatch a point from the weekday kick-off. Overall, Atalanta registered 17 shots at the goal against Napoli’s 10, while the hosts also created more dangerous attacks.
ACF Fiorentina 0 - 0 Sassuolo
Fiorentina would be kicking themselves for not converting in the first period in spite of having so many opportunities. While Sassuolo did spring up with a few of their own, it did not hurt the hosts at all. Going into the break 0-0, it was Fiorentina who had a task on their hands - to grab full points from the fixture.
But the Viola was given a run for their money in the second half, but unfortunately, Sassuolo did not have enough firepower to stick the ball at the back of the net. Fiorentina's late resurgence did create panic in the visitor’s box, but they managed to stand tall and put them away till the final whistle was blown. The hosts were the better side overall, with more shots (14 to 9) and more dangerous attacks (56 to 52).
AS Roma 3 - 2 Udinese
The game had to go in one direction and even though Udinese did manage to hold their nerves for the opening 20th minutes, the inevitable had to happen. The La Cupa scored twice in a span of 6 minutes to take the game far away from the 17th-placed side. Udinese’s strike in the 36th minute was least expected and they went into the break with a 1-goal deficit.
The hosts could have easily extended the lead further, but some smart work at the back from Udinese denied it. The one-goal lead was not safe by any means and the game kept its essence till the dying seconds of the match, with Udinese making it even in the 89th minute only to see Roma take the lead once again three minutes into stoppage time. Unfortunately, the scores never changed and La Cupa walked away with full points. Roma had more shots at the target (17 to 10) while they created more dangerous attacks (58) than Udinese (53).
