Napoli came alive in the second half of their 2-2 draw with AC Milan after Olivier Giroud twice headed home for the visitors before the break at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Milan looked to be in complete control after the Frenchman bagged his brace in the opening period, but the momentum swung completely in the opposite direction after the restart when Matteo Politano halved the deficit in the 50th minute.
Giacomo Raspadori’s stunning free-kick from 25 yards ensured it was all square after 63 minutes of a thoroughly entertaining contest in the Campania capital.
Napoli were forced to play the final few minutes with 10 men after Natan was sent off, but neither side could find a winner despite both teams having late chances.
The evening opened with an excellent piece of defending by Amir Rrahmani to block a close-range Giroud effort after the ball had deflected favourably in the Frenchman’s path.
There was bad news for the Rossoneri when centre-back Pierre Kalulu went down and was forced off with what appeared to be a thigh issue, with boss Stefano Pioli was short of options with Malick Thiaw serving a suspension and Simon Kjaer suffering a muscle problem.
On came 20-year-old Marco Pellegrino, making his Serie A debut and himself forced off late on, but it was a man 17 years the debutant’s senior who would provide the spark Pioli’s side needed.
Giroud’s opener came thanks to a superb delivery from Christian Pulisic to set up the 37-year-old for a glancing header that caught the fingertips of Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret before going in.
AC Milan soon extended their advantage, this time Davide Calabria providing the cross for Giroud to nod into the bottom left corner after winning an aerial battle with Rrahmani.
The visitors were cruising and had multiple chances to make it 3-0 before the break, while Napoli had not managed a shot on target.
Napoli boss Rudi Garcia made a triple change at half-time and the switch quickly seemed to pay dividends for the hosts when Politano thundered a left-footed strike under the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Milan, who had dominated the first half, were suddenly on the back foot, somehow surviving a relentless spell from Napoli that would have left them ruing their earlier missed chances when Raspadori curled home the equaliser from 25 yards.
Natan was sent off after his clumsy challenge on Giovanni Simeone resulted in a second booking, but the visitors could not capitalise on the man advantage through four minutes of added time, coming closest through captain Calabria’s header into the side-netting.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nearly snatched victory for the home side, but Milan keeper Mike Maignan reacted quickly to keep out the Georgian’s sharp effort and ensure the points were shared.
Roma 1-1 Juventus: Juve miss chance to close gap to second after draw with Roma
Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw at Roma on Sunday, missing the chance to close in on Milan in second place in Serie A.
Roma took the lead after 15 minutes when Romelu Lukaku found himself in the perfect position to tap in the rebound from a Bryan Cristante shot.
Bremer levelled with a header for Juventus just after the half-hour mark when Federico Chiesa picked him out inside the box from a corner.
Both sides had chances to find a winner in the final minutes, with Roma keeper Mile Svilar making a fingertip save to push Manuel Locatelli's volley over the bar.
Third-placed Juventus have 66 points, five fewer than Milan, who drew 3-3 with Genoa earlier on Sunday. Roma are fifth with 60 points.
Data Debrief: Leading from the back
Since scoring his first Serie A goal in the 2019-20 season, Bremer is the defender with the most headed goals in the Big-5 European leagues, netting 13 in total. Each of his last seven goals have been headers.
His goal was enough to earn Juventus a point today, but it means that they have drawn each of their last four in the competition - a first since February-March 2012 under Antonio Conte.
Milan 3-3 Genoa: Thiaw own goal denies Rossoneri in six-goal thriller
Milan were pegged back to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Genoa in Serie A on Sunday.
Second-half goals from Matteo Gabbia and Olivier Giroud put Milan on course for victory, but a late own goal from Malick Thiaw rescued a point for the visitors.
Genoa's Mateo Retegui converted a penalty five minutes in, but Milan equalised just before half-time through an Alessandro Florenzi header.
The visitors regained the lead three minutes into the second half, however, when Caleb Ekuban sent a towering header home.
Milan turned the game around in three minutes, as Gabbia headed home in the 72nd and Giroud scored the hosts' third of the match with a volley from an acute angle.
Yet Genoa continued to push and a cross into the Milan box was inadvertently turned into his own net by defender Thiaw.
Second-placed Milan have 71 points, six ahead of Juventus who play later on Sunday. Genoa are 12th with 43 points.
Data Debrief: Like a fine wine
Age really is just a number for Milan's veteran campaigner Giroud, who has scored 14 goals in Serie A this season.
It is his highest tally in a single league campaign since netting 16 for Arsenal in the Premier League in 2015-16.
Reggae Girlz forward Jody Brown graduates from Florida State University
Reggae Girl and Florida State University soccer star Jody Brown celebrated a significant milestone this past weekend as she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Humanities. At just 22 years old, Brown has achieved remarkable success both on the soccer field and in her academic pursuits.
Brown was among 101 student-athletes who graduated from FSU between last Friday and Saturday.
During her time at Florida State, Brown played a pivotal role in securing two National Division 1 Soccer titles in 2021 and 2023, adding to her impressive list of accolades. She was also part of four ACC Division One championship-winning teams in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, highlighting her exceptional talent and contribution to collegiate soccer.
Brown's impact extended beyond the field, as she excelled academically, culminating in her graduation this year. Reflecting on her university experience, Brown took to Instagram to express her gratitude and nostalgia: "Four years of unforgettable memories, lessons, and lifelong friendships. Thank you Florida State University."
Her Instagram post garnered warm congratulations from fellow Reggae Girlz teammates, including Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, Kiki van Zanten, and Tiffany Cameron. Jamaican track and field icon Veronica Campbell Brown, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 200m, also joined in celebrating Brown's achievement.
Brown's journey from representing Jamaica at the age of 16 to competing in the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019 and 2023 underscores her dedication and talent both on and off the field. As she embarks on the next chapter of her career, Brown's achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and scholars alike, demonstrating the power of determination, resilience, and academic excellence in pursuit of one's goals.
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