Late goal from Simeone gives Napoli 2-1 win over Roma

Napoli is alone at the top of the league with 53 points from 20 games, 13 ahead of second-placed Inter Milan. Roma is in sixth with 37 points.

Napoli forward Giovanni Simeone and defender Mathias Olivera celebrate their 2-1 win over AS Roma in the Serie A match at the Diego-Maradona Stadium in Naples on January 29, 2023. 

A superb first-half goal from Victor Osimhen and a late decider from Giovanni Simeone gave Napoli a 2-1 home win against Roma on Sunday as it took another step closer to ending its 33-year wait to win the Serie A title.

Napoli is alone at the top of the league with 53 points from 20 games, 13 ahead of second-placed Inter Milan. Roma is in sixth with 37 points.

Kim Min-Jae came close to an own goal for Napoli after 12 minutes when he misjudged keeper Alex Meret’s position and headed the ball just to the right of the open goal.

Osimhen, Serie A’s top scorer, put Napoli ahead after 17 minutes when he chested down a cross inside the box and sent the ball into the roof of the net with a volley.

The 24-year-old Nigerian has netted 14 times in Serie A this season.

Meret was forced into a full-stretch save to stop Bryan Cristante’s header after a corner in the 61st minute. Roma keeper Rui Patricio saved a shot from a Napoli counter-attack three minutes later.

Roma equalised in the 75th minute when substitute Stephan El Shaarawy broke free from his marker and tipped in a cross from an acute angle.

Four minutes before stoppage time, Simone got the ball at the edge of the box, turned round and put it into the upper right corner, sending the fans at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium into a frenzy.