December 29, (THEWILL) – Napoli endured a frustrating night on Friday, as they were held to a disappointing goalless draw by visitors Monza in their latest Serie A clash. With several key players missing through injury and suspension, the Partenopei struggled to find their usual attacking spark in a tense match marked by frayed tempers, red cards and wasteful finishing.
A dour first half saw few clear chances, with Napoli’s best opportunity falling to Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, whose close-range volley was brilliantly saved by Monza’s Michele Di Gregorio. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia went close with a curling effort just before the break but the Georgian was off target.
Monza defended well and nearly snatched an unlikely lead early in the second period when Dany Mota Carvalho forced a near-post save from Napoli keeper Alex Meret. The controversial awarding of a penalty to Monza then presented a golden opportunity to break the deadlock, but Meret easily kept out Matteo Pessina’s time effort down the middle.
As the game wore on, Napoli continued to misfire, with substitute Gianluca Gaetano the latest culprit by shooting straight at Di Gregorio. Tempers flared in stoppage time as both managers saw red, but there was to be no late winning goal for either side.
The result leaves Napoli in an unlikely seventh spot and it will be seen as two points dropped in the title defence of the champions. The match highlighted deficiencies in attack and finishing that will need to be remedied quickly as a testing run of fixtures awaits.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
