Milik’s brace helps Napoli close gap on Juventus
On Friday, Mario Mandzukic scored the only goal as Juventus killed off Inter Milan’s challenge at Turin
Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik bagged a brace as Napoli warmed up for next week’s Champions League clash with Liverpool by easing past promoted Frosinone 4-0 in Serie A to close the gap on champions Juventus to eight points. Piotr Zielinski opened after just seven minutes in the Stadio San Paulo with Algerian Adam Ounas adding a stunning second from a distance in the first half before Milik’s second half double. Carlo Ancelotti’s side consolidated second place and replied to Juventus who had pulled 11 points clear on Friday night with a confident 1-0 win over Inter Milan.
Inter Milan, in third, lose ground on the top two, falling six points adrift of Napoli after their damaging Derby d’Italia defeat where Mario Mandzukic scored the only goal. Napoli travel to Anfield next week needing a point to advance to the Champions League knockout rounds. And the former Chelsea boss rang the changes against second from bottom Frosinone. Italian goalkeeper Alex Meret got his first start after breaking his arm following his summer move from Udinese. Algerian international Faouzi Ghoulam also made his comeback after more than a year out with ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments, and provided the assists for both Milik’s goals.
The hosts got off to a lively start with Poland’s Zielinski opening from an angle after seven minutes, for his third goal this season after a brace against AC Milan. Ghoulam was denied by Marco Sportiello before Ounas doubled their advantage with a searing drive five minutes before the break that left the Frosinone goalkeeper with no chance.
Napoli squandered chances for a third with a Milik volley deflected away and Goulam sending over when alone of front of goal. But Milik headed in the third after 68 minutes off a Ghoulam corner with the Algerian defender setting up the fourth five minutes from time. It gave Milik his seventh league goal this season and second brace. The defeat piles the pressure on Frosinone, a club from outside Rome, who have won just one game this season against SPAL. Last night, Roma — safely through to the last 16 in Europe — were playing Cagliari to salvage their flagging Serie A campaign as they sit seventh — 23 points behind Juventus. Lazio, in fifth, host midtable Sampdoria after being held by bottom club Chievo last weekend.
On Friday, Mario Mandzukic scored the only goal as Juventus killed off Inter Milan’s challenge. Luciano Spalletti’s third-placed Inter fall 14 points adrift of the leaders with the Derby d’Italia defeat a grave blow to their hopes of challenging for a first title since 2010.
World Cup runner-up Mandzukic’s diving header after 66 minutes off a cross from former Inter player Joao Cancelo was enough to decide the outcome at the Allianz Stadium. “Mandzukic is one of those players who even on an off day can bring his physicality to the game and that can make the difference,” said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“We knew the championship wouldn’t end today, but we still absolutely had to avoid defeat. I asked the lads to be efficient and effective. We were only half that in the first period, but then we started to hold the ball with greater patience, were more organised and solid. After that, the quality of the players inevitably emerges.”
The seven-time reigning champions proved yet again they were a class above their rivals even with Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo not as omnipresent as he has been in previous games, failing to add to his ten league goals. Inter captain Mauro Icardi also failed to muster a single shot on goal, but the visitors did have chances in the first half with Roberto Gagliardini rattling the post just before the half-hour mark.
“We played well enough but we weren’t consistent, there were situations where we didn’t interpret or read them property while Juventus did not do anything wrong,” said Spalletti. “If someone takes the lead, of course it makes the difference, but we made too many banal and cheap errors,” continued the Inter coach. Unfortunately, Juve are smart and we are naive. They have a way of wasting five minutes after a foul.”
Spalletti’s side now turn to their crucial Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven at the San Siro on Tuesday. Juventus are already through to the Champions League knock-out rounds before next week’s trip to Young Boys in Switzerland.
ITALIAN SERIE A RESULTS
Napoli 4 (Zielinski 7, Ounas 40, Milik 68, 85) Frosinone 0
Played Friday: Juventus 1 (Mandzukic 66) Inter Milan 0
Playing today: Sassuolo v Fiorentina (1130 GMT), Empoli v Bologna, Parma v Chievo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 1400), Genoa v SPAL (1700), AC Milan v Torino (1930)