After taking an early lead, Napoli Primavera were able to hold Milan off until the 86th minute, when the Rossoneri equalized from the penalty spot.
Lineup
Nicolò Frustalupi made five changes to the squad he fielded in the loss to Sampdoria. Luigi D’Avino started at centre back over the injured Benedetto Barba. Likewise, Lamine Gningue started over the injured Matteo Marchisano on the right side of the midfield. Gennaro Iaccarino returned to the starting lineup after serving a suspension for yellow-card accumulation, relegating Jorge Alastuey to the bench. With Bilel Sahli also injured, Cedrick koffi started alonside Alessandro Spavone at trequartista, while Leonardo Rossi started over Antonio Pesce at striker.
(3-4-2-1) Boffelli; Hysaj, D’Avino, Obaretin; Acampa, Gioielli, Iaccarino, Gningue; Koffi, Spavone; Rossi
First Half
After a slow start for both sides, Napoli opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Gennaro Iaccarino switched the play to Lamine Gningue on the right wing. The midfielder controlled the ball well before playing a perfectly-weighted diagonal pass to Alessandro Spavone in the area. The attacking midfielder cleverly dummied the shot, freezing Lapo Nava, before squaring the ball across the face of the goal. Leonardo Rossi timed his perfectly to tap the ball into the empty goal.
Milan responded with their first chance from a counterattack shortly after the restart. Victor Eletu played the ball out wide to Hugo Cuenca. He immediately switched the play to Chaka Traorè, who controlled the ball near the edge of the area. The midfield squared to Youns El Hilali, but his effort finished narrowly over the bar.
The Milan No. 10 is certainly not lacking in confidence. In the 25th minute, after a patient buildup from Milan, Traorè again squared the ball to El Hilali in the centre of the park. The striker went for goal from distance but the ball bounced harmlessly wide of the mark.
Milan continued to push for the equalizer, creating another chance at the half hour mark. Captain Andrei Coubis picked out Kevin Zeroli between the lines with a vertical pass across midfield. The right-sided midfielder carried the ball to the edge of the area before going for goal but Boffelli was sharp, diving to his right to push the shot aside.
Napoli also looked dangerous on the break. In the 35th minute, the Azzurrini did well to counterattack through Cedrick Koffi and Spavone before Francesco Gioielli played Gennaro Iaccarino into space at midfield. The captain, who was Napoli’s best player on the day, carried the ball towards the edge of the area before putting a vicious strike on target. The ball was traveling towards the op corner but Nava made the save.
Second Half
Milan increased the intensity in the second half but Napoli were solid at the back. Other than a shot by Traorè that missed the top corner, Boffelli wasn’t threatened until after the hour mark. In the 62nd minute, Traorè, who was Milan’s most creative player, carried towards the by line before teeing up Eletu at the edge of the area. The midfielder hit the ball first-time but didn’t connect well and in the end, it was an easy save for Boffelli.
Eletu tested Boffelli again a few minutes later but his shot from distance bounced comfortably into the waiting arms of Boffelli.
Meanwhile, Napoli seemed content to protect the one-goal lead. They did not push forward in possession. Instead, they tried to keep the ball to kill time.
The Azzurrini were fortunate not to concede a penalty kick in the 65th minute. El Hilali appeared to be fouled in the area by Davide Acampa chasing Andrea Bozzolan’s low cross in front of the goal. Instead, the official awarded the free kick to Napoli.
Milan continued to attack and Napoli were fortunate again in the 72nd minute. Nosa Obaretin played the ball back to Boffelli. Instead of clearing the danger, the keeper tried to play a first-time pass into the midfield. The pass was blocked by substitute Jordan Longhi, but the ball ricocheted wide of the goal.
Milan had another quality chance in the 73rd minute from a corner kick. Substitute Gabriele Alesi played an out-swinging corner kick into the area. Traorè won a free header near the spot but directed the ball straight at Boffelli, who made the catch.
It seemed as though Napoli were going to hang on for the victory, but with five minutes of normal time remaining, Milan were awarded a penalty kick. Bozzolan dribbled past Simone Bonavita before crossing the ball from the left wing. Luigi D’Avino headed the ball clear, but only so far as Michele Casali at the edge of the area. The right back took a poor touch but the ball took a fortuitous deflection off the outstretched arm of Gioielli and the official had no choice but to point to the spot. Alesi stepped up to the spot and was stopped by Boffelli, but the rebound fell kindly for the forward to tap into the empty goal.
With the draw, combined with Bologna and Cagliari losing to Sassuolo and Atalanta, respectively, Napoli still have a fleeting chance of getting out of the relegation playoff zone. However, with a seven-point deficit and only four matches remaining, they’ll need plenty of help from their direct rivals.
