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·14 April 2024

Serie A | Napoli 2-2 Frosinone: Cheddira stuns Champions

Napoli twice took the lead through Matteo Politano’s scorcher and Victor Osimhen, but Walid Cheddira’s brace earned Frosinone a point after Alex Meret saved a penalty.

The Partenopei got back on track with a 4-2 win over Monza, but had Cyril Ngonge suspended, plus Mathias Olivera and Juan Jesus carrying injuries. The Canarini fell into the bottom three after just four draws in 10 rounds, but were coming off a goalless draw with Bologna. Ilario Monterisi, Kevin Bonifazi, Abdou Harroui, Anthony Oyono and Sergio Kalaj were out of action.

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Italy coach Luciano Spalletti was in the stands and visibly moved by the reception he received from the fans less than a year on from the Scudetto triumph.

Victor Osimhen cut his hand during an early collision with goalkeeper Stefano Turati, then saw his strike parried from a Kvicha Kvaratskhelia assist, while Leo Ostigard fired over from close range.

Politano opened the scoring with a fantastic finish, cutting inside from the right to bend a left-foot finish into the far top corner from the edge of the area.

WHAT. A. GOAL! 🚀 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 14, 2024

Osimhen should’ve made it 2-0 soon after when sent clear on a long ball over the top, but drilled inches wide one-on-one with Turati.

However, Walid Cheddira ran onto a knockdown and was brought down by Amir Rrahmani for a penalty, but Matias Soule continued his recent poor form by seeing the spot-kick smothered on the line by Alex Meret.

Piotr Zielinski’s header skimmed the upright from a Giovanni Di Lorenzo cross, while Napoli-owned Cheddira stung Meret’s gloves from distance.

Napoli came flying out for the second half, as within a couple of minutes of the restart Turati had been forced into a fingertip save on Osimhen’s lob that was then cleared off the line by Simone Romagnoli, followed by another big save on Di Lorenzo’s glancing header.

However, Frosinone were gifted the equaliser when Meret was caught in possession by Soule sluggishly playing out from the back, allowing Cheddira to sweep into an empty net.

All square 🟦 Who else but Walid Cheddira to level the score against Napoli, the team he has been loaned to Frosinone from 🤯#SerieA pic.twitter.com/hrfqw7FsIg — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 14, 2024

Napoli restored their advantage when Kvaratskhelia hit a right-foot scorcher that Turati flew to palm over the bar. On the resulting corner, another Kvaratskhelia shot was deflected, turning into an accidental assist for Osimhen to turn in from six yards, kept onside by Emanuele Valeri slowly tracking back.

It didn’t last long, as Frosinone caught the hosts napping again with Cheddira allowed a free header on a cross from the right to equalise against his parent club.

Walid Cheddira AGAIN! 🤩 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 14, 2024

Kvaratskhelia stung Turati’s gloves again from distance, but Frosinone had a huge opportunity when a cross was knocked back into the six-yard box for Demba Seck to chest it towards goal, somehow denied by Meret’s foot from point-blank range.

In stoppages, Di Lorenzo rolled across for Giovanni Simeone rather than going for goal himself and the striker couldn’t reach for the tap-in.

Mario Rui saw red with almost the final kick of the game, dragging back Seck on the counter-attack for his second yellow card.