Napoli does not go beyond a tie against Frosinone (1 to 1)
A penalty by Lodi (Maldonado was ejected) gives the advantage to the blue-yellow
team. Bogliacino ties it up with a winning header. The referee is forced to
stop the game twice for the fireworks falling on the pitch.

A nightmarishe saturday for Napoli, who manages to limit the damages and to
maintain its sole possession of first place in the standings. In a game twice
temporarily suspended for the fireworks launched on the field, Frosinone takes
the lead on a penalty kicked by Lodi. Forced to play with ten men due to the
ejection of Maldonado, Napoli finds the tie with a header by Bogliacino. The
game ends on a 1 to 1 tie.

Anyone who thought that Napoli, wanting to lengthen its distance from the second
place team in the standings, would devour Iaconi's team, was sorely wrong.

Napoli has shown some problems its offense and this is nothing new: despite the
excellent position in the standings, Reja's team have scored exactly the same
number of goals as Frosinone (15) who is behind Napoli by 7 points. To poke the
defense of the guest team Reja at the beginning entrusts the offense to the duo
Calaio`-Pia`, with De Zerbi behind them and Bucchi on the bench. The least
expected news, however, was the promotion of Vitale among the regular team with
Savini sent to watch the game in the stands.

In an environment made surreal by the strike of the Neapolitan fans (to protest
following the incidents in Pescara between fans and the police), the hosts tried
to use Calaio` vitality from the very beginning, but after an initial attack,
they allow the Frosinone team to take control. Pia`, De Zerbi and Grava create
some dangers for Zappino with kicks from a distance and the guest team responds
in kind: each time the attack on the sides they create potential problems and
Iezzo has to come out of the goal many times to dispel the danger. The biggest
thrill of the first half, however, is the post hit by Calaio` who plays a pass
by De Zerbi forcing Zappino to deflect the ball that hits the post.

During the break Reja decides to take our De Zerbi and to play Bucchi. The
outcome is not the one desired: for 15 minutes the team of off center and
Frosinone takes advantage of that with Iezzo forced to give his very best to
deny a goal to Lodi on a good looking kick with his left foot. Bucchi finally
finds a way to be noticed (dribbling and kick with his left foot with a nice
play by Zappino) one must wait the entry of Dalla Bona to replace Pia`, which
gives renewed balance to the Neapolitan team. But instead of the two teams, the
key main characters of the game have become some "so-called" fans of Napoli who
explode a large number of fireworks and force the referee Orsato to suspend the
game for 5 minutes. When the match is started over, Frosinone goes for it:
Maldonado fouls Castillo in a very unclear fashion and is ejected and Lodi hits
the bullseye with a penalty: 1 to 0. The reaction by Napoli, now with only 10
men, is strong and Bogliacino ties it up with a he!
adr.
There is no solitary run at the top, but at least the record of positive
outcomes at the San Paolo stadium is safe!

Stefano Cantalupi
(translation by Francesco Liberti)

Scorers: Lodi pen 74 (F), Bogliacino 83 (N)
Sent off: Maldonado 73 (N)
Napoli: Iezzo, Grava, Domizzi, Cannavaro, Maldonado, Amodio, Bogliacino, Vitale
(Trotta 71), De Zerbi (Bucchi 46), Pia` (Dalla Bona 60), Calaio`
Frosinone: Zappino, Cannarsa, Pagani, Antonioli, Anaclerio, Fialdini (Di
Venanzio 74), Perra, D`Antoni, Lodi, Galasso (Belle` 84), Castillo (Mastronunzio
80)
Ref: Orsato
Attendance: 29,449