Daily Times

MILAN: Napoli have the Milan giants breathing down their necks in the Serie A title race after throwing away a two-goal lead late at Sassuolo to draw 2-2 on Wednesday. Luciano Spalletti’s side looked set to maintain their three-point lead at the top following second-half strikes from Dries Mertens and Fabian Ruiz. But a superb finish from Gianluca Scamacca with 19 minutes remaining put the hosts back in the game and Gian Marco Ferrari snatched a draw in the final minute with a bullet header. AC Milan are just one point back in second and Inter Milan another point behind in third following their respective wins over Genoa and Spezia. Sassuolo thought they had won it in a frantic finale in which Spalletti was sent off when Gregiore Defrel slotted home. But with the home players and fans celebrating wildly, the referee was called to check a Domenico Berardi foul on Amir Rrahmani and the goal was ruled out. “It would have been a shame not to draw a match that I think we played on equal footing with Napoli, we kept playing at 2-0 and we deserved to draw,” said Sassuolo coach Alessio Dionisi to DAZN. x