- Napoli missed the chance to close the gap on Inter after a 1-1 draw at Bologna
- Dan Ndoye scored a stunning equaliser as Bologna dominated the second half
- Antonio Conte watched from the stands due to suspension, with Napoli offering little after the break
Key Takeaways:
Napoli were held to a 1:1 draw away at Bologna in the last match of the 31st round in Serie A and once again remain three points behind league leaders Inter. Antonio Conte’s team had the chance to reduce the deficit after the reigning champions slipped up with a 2:2 draw against Parma, but Bologna were the better side and the result was even more than the visitors deserved.
Napoli were without head coach Antonio Conte on the touchline as he served a suspension. The visitors also missed the services of Alex Meret due to illness and Alessandro Buongiorno through injury. On the other side, Bologna suffered a late blow during warm-up as Lewis Ferguson picked up a knock, with Michel Aebischer stepping into the starting XI.
WHAT. A. GOAL. Dan Ndoye with one of the best finishes you'll see all season! 😱🔥🔥#BolognaNapoli 1-1 pic.twitter.com/mxO0dZENU1
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) April 7, 2025
Bologna started with high pressing while Napoli relied on counter-attacking play. In the 14th minute, the “Partenopei” launched a quick attack, but David Neres sent his shot over the bar. Soon after, the visitors took the lead through André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who picked up the ball in the centre, beat Holm, evaded Miranda’s sliding tackle, rounded Skorupski and calmly slotted the ball into the net.
During the goal, Bologna’s goalkeeper suffered an injury and was replaced by Federico Ravaglia, who was quickly called into action with a shot from Scott McTominay. The substitute keeper made another important save against Politano in the 41st minute, and just before the half-time whistle, Aebischer squandered a chance to level.
In the second half, Napoli focused solely on defending their lead. Bologna nearly equalised in the 59th minute, but consecutive interventions from Scuffet and Olivera kept them ahead. Orsolini then missed a golden chance, but Bologna’s pressure only increased.
In the 64th minute, Jens Odgaard picked out Dan Ndoye, who flicked the ball with his heel, and after hitting the underside of the crossbar, it bounced just over the goal line. The goal was a true masterpiece and marked Ndoye’s eighth of the season.
Bologna threw everything forward in search of a comeback win, while Napoli failed to register a single shot in the second half until the final moments, when Giacomo Raspadori nearly won it for the visitors from a set-piece.