By
Anna Italia
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@ItalianSerieA
66% Ball Possession NAPOLI and 34% Ball Possession CHIEVO VERONA
Napoli 1 – 1 Chievo Verona 
88′ Raul Albiol 18′ Gennaro Sardo
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Serie A Standing AFTER the game:
Napoli, 3rd position with 44 points and a positive goal difference of +21
Chievo Verona, 16th position with 17 points and a negative goal difference of -11
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | Diff. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Napoli | 21 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 44:23 | 21 | 44 |
| 16 | Chievo | 21 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 16:27 | -11 | 17 |
Surprise at the San Paolo Stadium! Napoli failing to win this home game and getting their second consecutive draw. It’s a disappointment for Napoli seeing their chances to battle for the Scudetto almost gone and even risking to lose the third position because Fiorentina have 40 points and will play tomorrow. Game ending with Referee Irrati sending off Chievo Verona coach Eugenio Corini in the 92nd minute.
Chievo Verona opening the score in the 18th minute! A spectacular move between midfielder Gennaro Sardo and forward Cyril Thereau ending with Sardo smacking the final right footed shot defeating Napoli goalkeeper Rafael in the top left corner.
First half ends 57% ball possession Napoli and 43% ball possession Chievo Verona.
Second half starts without changes
In the 67th minute, a clear chance for Napoli to equalize….. Forward Dries Mertens delivering a right footed shot though saved by Chievo Verona goalkeeper in the bottom left corner. Mertens just cannot believe is luck!
Napoli battling to level the score, but not finding the way.
Chievo making a substitution in the 72nd minute. Midfielder Simone Bentivoglio is replaced by midfielder Ivan Radovanovic.
Benitez attempts to add fresher energy in the 79th minute by replacing midfielder Christian Maggio with forward Lorenzo Insigne. Maybe a bit too late?
It seems nothing is working for Napoli. Imagine, in the 85th minute, Insigne’s right footed shot hits the bar!!!!!
And there it is… the equalizer goal in the 88th minute following a corner conceded by Chievo defender Bostjan Cesar. It is Napoli defender Raul Albiol to smack the right footed shot from the center defeating Chievo goalkeeper Christian Puggioni in the bottom left corner.
Game ending 66% Ball Possession NAPOLI and 34% Ball Possession CHIEVO VERONA
Here is NAPOLI official starting lineup by coach Rafael Benitez:
Napoli (4-2-3-1): Rafael; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Reveillere; Inler, Dzemaili;Mertens, Hamsik, Callejon; Higuain.
Here is CHIEVO VERONA official starting lineup by coach Eugenio Corini:
Chievo Verona (3-5-2): Puggioni; Frey, Dainelli, Cesar; Sardo, Bentivoglio, Rigoni, Hetemaj, Dramé; Paloschi, Thereau.
Disciplinary Situation: 1 suspended player for NAPOLI: Fernandez
No suspended players for CHIEVO VERONA
Stats AFTER the game. Top scorer for NAPOLI: Forward Gonzalo Higuain with 10 goals
Top scorer CHIEVO VERONA: Forward Alberto Paloschi
| Napoli | Goals | Goals | Chievo Verona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higuain, Gonzalo | 10 | 5 | Paloschi, Alberto |
| Callejon | 9 | 4 | Thereau, Cyril |
| Hamsik, Marek | 6 | 2 | Rigoni, Luca |
| Pandev, Goran | 6 | 1 | Bentivoglio, Simone |
| Mertens, Dries | 5 | 1 | Lazarevic, Dejan |
Stats. Here are the last 3 games of NAPOLI: 2 wins, 1 draw
| 19/01/14 | SA | Bologna – Napoli |
2:2 | Round 20 |
| 15/01/14 | CI | Napoli – Atalanta |
3:1 | Round 1/8 |
| 12/01/14 | SA | Verona – Napoli |
0:3 | Round 19 |
Here are the last 3 games of CHIEVO VERONA: 1 win, 1 dra2, 1 lost
| 19/01/14 | SA | Chievo – Parma |
1:2 | Round 20 |
| 13/01/14 | SA | Inter – Chievo |
1:1 | Round 19 |
| 08/01/14 | CI | Fiorentina – Chievo |
2:0 | Round 1/8 |
Photo sscnapoli.it
Photo sscnapoli.it
Click the video to watch the highlights of the game, NAPOLI vs CHIEVO VERONA, Saturday 25 January 2014, San Paolo Stadium, Naples, Italy, Serie A Week 21
Italian Serie A Week 21
Napoli 1 – 1 Chievo Verona
Saturday 25 January 2014
San Paolo Stadium
Naples, Italy
18:00
Referee: IRRATI
Assistants: STALLONE – GHIANDAI
Fourth Official: PETRELLA
ADD1: GIACOMELLI
ADD2: LA PENNA
Attendance:
Goals: 18′ G. Sardo (C), 88′ Raul Albiol (N)
Official formations – lineups:
Napoli (4-2-3-1): Rafael; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Reveillere; Inler, Dzemaili;Mertens, Hamsik, Callejon; Higuain.
Subs.: Reina, Contini, Colombo, Uvini, Cannavaro, Radosevic, Insigne, Jorginho, Bariti, Pandev, Zapata.
Coach.: Rafael Benitez
Chievo Verona (3-5-2): Puggioni; Frey, Dainelli, Cesar; Sardo, Bentivoglio, Rigoni, Hetemaj, Dramé; Paloschi, Thereau.
Subs.: Silvestri, Squizzi, Pamic, Papp, Dos Santos, Kupisz, Radovanovic, Lazarevic, Estigarribia, Sestu, Pellissier.
Coach: Eugenio Corini
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Italian Serie A Week 21
Napoli 1 – 1 Chievo Verona Saturday 25 January 2014 San Paolo Stadium Naples, Italy 18:00 Referee: IRRATI |
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| Napoli | Match Stats |
Chievo Verona |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 23 (4) | Shots (on goal) | 3 (1) |
| 12 | Fouls | 15 |
| 11 | Corner kicks | 2 |
| 3 | Offsides | 5 |
| 66% | Ball Possession | 34% |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Saves | 3 |
What do you think of the result? Agree? Disagree? Best and worst player?