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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Guardian sport and agencies

European roundup: Napoli made to wait for title by late Salernitana equaliser

Victor Osimhen and Pierluigi Gollini
Victor Osimhen and Pierluigi Gollini show their disappointment after Napoli failed to complete the job. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

Napoli have been made to wait for their first Serie A title in 33 years, after a late Salernitana equaliser denied them the victory that was needed to secure a historic Scudetto.

A 3-1 defeat for second-placed Lazio at Internazionale had placed destiny in Neapolitan hands, but Boulaye Dia’s goal for Salernitana at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium quietened the rampant celebrations in Naples.

The results leave Napoli 18 points clear of Lazio, with six games to play, and 20 points clear of Juventus, who have seven games of their season remaining.

Napoli fans had flocked into the streets to celebrate a third Scudetto, with the previous two (1987 and 1990) coming during Diego Maradona’s time at the club. Despite the disappointment, Napoli need just two points from their last six games to win the title and could be crowned champions before their next game at Udinese on Thursday if other results go their way.

Mathías Olivera had scored for Napoli on Sunday, powering a header from a Giacomo Raspadori corner into the net just after the hour mark and it looked like the celebrations could begin. But Salernitana equalised seven minutes from time through forward Dia, who broke into Napoli’s area and struck the ball at by the far post.

Fans had flocked into the streets to celebrate a third Scudetto, with the previous two (1987 and 1990) coming during Diego Maradona’s time at the club.

Earlier on Sunday, Inter came from a goal down to win 3-1 at home against Lazio. A second-half double by Lautaro Martínez and a goal by Robin Gosens cancelled out Felipe Anderson’s first-half strike.

A second-half goal by Arkadiusz Milik helped Juventus salvage a 1-1 draw at Bologna, but Max Allegri’s side are now winless in five games across all competitions. Juventus remain third on 60 points from 32 games, one point behind second-placed Lazio.

Serge Gnabry heads home Bayern’s first goal in the 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin at the Allianz Arena.
Serge Gnabry heads home Bayern’s first goal in the 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin at the Allianz Arena. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

In Germany’s Bundesliga, Bayern Munich beat bottom side Hertha Berlin 2-0 to move top of the table.

Thomas Tuchel’s side took advantage of Borussia Dortmund being held to a 1-1 draw at Bochum on Friday, with Serge Gnabry opening the scoring on 69 minutes and Kingsley Coman doubling the home side’s lead 10 minutes later.

In the day’s other game, Jonas Wind scored twice as Wolfsburg beat Mainz 3-0, with all three goals coming in the first half an hour.

Atlético Madrid closed to within two points of second-placed Real Madrid in La Liga courtesy of a 5-2 win at Real Valladolid.

The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead inside 38 minutes before being pegged back by a Cyle Larin penalty and Sergio Escudero’s 74th-minute strike, but an own goal from Joaquín Fernández and Memphis Depay’s stoppage-time goal secured all three points.

Cádiz leapfrogged Valencia in the table with a 2-1 win over their fellow strugglers, but Getafe missed the chance to do likewise and get out of the relegation zone as they lost 1-0 at Espanyol.

In France, Lorient shocked Paris Saint-Germain with a 3-1 victory at the Parc des Princes after the Ligue 1 leaders were reduced to 10 men when Achraf Hakimi was sent off early in the first half.

Lorient took the lead in the 15th minute when Romain Faivre crossed for an unmarked Enzo Le Fee to fire home. PSG were down a man five minutes later when Hakimi received a second yellow card, before Kylian Mbappé equalised in bizarre circumstances following an error from goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo. The Swiss keeper recovered the ball and attempted to restart play by rolling it forward, only for Mbappé - who was walking back beside him - to take the ball and score into an empty net.

But with the man advantage, Lorient took the game to PSG. The second goal came when Faivre danced into the box and his deflected cross fell to Darlin Yongwa, who made it 2-1. Bamba Dieng scored Lorient’s third to seal all three points when he went one-on-one with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who saved the first effort before Dieng bundled it in.

PSG, who have now lost nine games in all competitions in 2023, remain on 75 points from 33 games. Second-placed Marseille cut their lead at the top to five points with a 2-1 comeback victory over Auxerre. Goals from Cengiz Under in the 74th minute and Alexis Sánchez in the 76th cancelled out Auxerre’s first-half lead at the Stade Vélodrome.

Monaco’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season were dealt a heavy blow after they were thumped 4-0 by visitors Montpellier in their Ligue 1 clash at Stade Louis II on Sunday.

Arnaud Nordin scored a brace to go with goals from Faitout Maouassa and Stephy Mavididi as Montpellier stunned their hosts with a second win in Monaco in 22 attempts and their biggest ever success in the principality. It is their fourth victory in 44 meetings overall. Monaco remain fourth five points behind third-placed Lens.

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