🇮🇹 Milan draw a blank; Napoli scrape past Lecce; Inter stung late | OneFootball

It was a Friday feast in Italy with three big Serie A clashes taking place to kick off the weekend, and here is what went down around the grounds.

Milan fail to find a way through Empoli

A heavily rotated Milan side failed to break down Empoli despite creating a flurry of scoring chances, but the hard-fought point ensures Rossoneri’s top-four status for now.

The Italian champions looked to pick up where they left off last time out, having comfortably dispatched league leader Napoli last weekend.

They pushed to find the opening goal from the first whistle, but appeared to leave their shooting boots at home in the first half.

After peppering the Empoli goal in the opening minutes of the second half, Milan looked to have found a stroke of luck when they were awarded a penalty-kick for a handball in the box.

However, a VAR check spared Empoli’s blushes, as it revealed that the ball narrowly avoided the defender’s arm.

After joining the game in the second half, Olivier Giroud appeared to be the hero when he headed home from close range in the dying minutes, but the home crowd’s celebrations were cut short as the goal was chalked off for a handball.

Somehow, Empoli held on in the face of wave after wave of Milan pressure, ensuring the visitors picked up a vital point away to the champions.

Napoli scrape past Lecce

Scorers: Di Francesco 52′ ; Di Lorenzo 17′, Falcone (OG) 64′

Napoli required a late Lecce own goal to squeeze past the relegation threatened Giallorossi, but the win moves Luciano Spalletti’s side one stope closer towards the Serie A title.

The champions elect made a fast start, pinning Lecce deep into their half from the get-go. They were rewarded for their early efforts when club captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed Napoli into the lead from point-blank range, scoring his second of the campaign.

While it looked as if Napoli would take control of the proceedings, Lecce grew into the game throughout the opening half, forcing the league leaders into a flurry of mistakes.

Luckily for the away side, they were not made to punish for their malaise in the final minutes of the half, as they escaped down the tunnel with the lead at the break.

Their luck would not last for much longer however, as Lecce found their equaliser less than ten minutes into the second half. After an initial effort range the crossbar, Federico Di Francesco stabbed home from inside the box to level the scoreline.

While Lecce looked to be the team on the ascendency, their momentum came to a screeching half just past the hour mark thanks to a horrible goalkeeping mistake from Wladimiro Falcone.

The Lecce man was unable to control a point-blank back pass from his defender, seeing the ball loop into the back of the net and Napoli reclaim their lead.

While it wasn’t pretty, Napoli held on to collect all three points and move 19 clear at the top of the Serie A table.

Inter stung at the death in Salerno

Scorers: Candreva 90′ ; Gosens 6′

Inter Milan’s top-four hopes took a hit as they drew away to relegation threatened Salernitana, seeing the Nerazzurri extend their sorry winless streak to four matches.

On the back of a chaotic victory in Turin against old foes Juventus in the Coppa Italia last time out, Inter looked to keep the train rolling to ensure they come out on top in the tight top-four race.

The Nerazzurri got off to a flying start, as Robin Gosens showed a rare glimpse of ruthlessness in front of goal, side footing home from close range to silence the boisterous home crowd in Salerno.

Inter should have taken a two-goal lead with them into the break, but Romelu Lukaku was denied from point-blank range in dramatic fashion by Memo Ochoa with the last kick of the first half.

The hosts posed little threat to Inter throughout the second half, but Inter’s wastefulness in front of goal continued to leave the door open for a shock Salernitana equaliser.

The hosts finally fashioned the opportunity they needed to level proceedings, but Inter were let off the hook as Boulaye Dia rang his volley off of the crossbar from close range.

Memo Ochoa continued to stand on his head, denying Inter on multiple occasions to keep the deficit to one goal. Dramatically, the outfield players rewarded their keeper’s performance by finding a freak leveler in the final minute of the match.

A mishit Antonio Candreva cross somehow found its way past the outstretched hand of André Onana to snatch a point for Salernitana at the death.