Napoli hosted Roma on Sunday night in a thrilling Serie A encounter that ended in a hard-fought draw. Scott McTominay, the former Manchester United midfielder now with Napoli, sat out the match due to injury, allowing Donyell Malen to steal the spotlight. The Dutch forward, on loan from Aston Villa, netted a brace to give Roma the lead twice at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, marking his fifth goal in five appearances for the Giallorossi.
Roma struck first through Malen just seven minutes in, capitalizing on a promising move. Napoli fought back, with Leonardo Spinazzola scoring against his former club to level the score. Malen restored Roma’s advantage later, but substitute Alisson Santos marked his Serie A debut—after joining on loan from Sporting CP two weeks prior—with an equalizer. The result keeps Napoli in third place, three points ahead of fourth-placed Roma.
Italian Media Highlights Key Absences and Performances
Il Napolista emphasized Napoli’s resilience despite missing several players. “In the end, all’s well that ends well. Especially considering how things were going,” the outlet noted. “It’s worth remembering that Conte’s team played without McTominay and the final twenty minutes without Amir Rrahmani, who was injured and caused the penalty to make it 2-1. Napoli avoided being overtaken by Roma, who remain on three points, but it feels like four because the Azzurri are ahead in the head-to-head matches.”
Il Messagero pointed out Eljif Elmas dropping deeper in McTominay’s absence. “He has his usual dynamism, but struggles against Bryan Cristante, who does a good job of limiting him,” analysts observed. In contrast, Malen impressed throughout. “Just seven minutes in, he turns the only good play from the young Bryan Zaragoza into gold,” the report stated. “Sometimes he’s too alone, but he always gives the impression of posing a threat to Napoli’s defensive trio. He almost doubles the lead after a solo effort. He was asked to score against a big team, and he didn’t hold back.”
Impact of Napoli’s Injury List
Corriere dello Sport highlighted Napoli’s lengthy absentee roster, including McTominay, Frank Anguissa, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and David Neres. “Without four key players like McTominay, Anguissa, Di Lorenzo, and Neres, their identity is completely upended,” the publication analyzed.
Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised Malen post-match. “Malen? I’ve always been incredibly confident,” the former Atalanta manager said, adding that Roma would have “a few more points” if the striker had been available all season. “He has the best attributes for a striker in my opinion. This team needs someone like him; he’s often put in a dangerous position. However, we can always do better.”
Recent reports also indicate Napoli’s intent to extend McTominay’s contract. “He isn’t just the present: he’s the future,” sources close to the club confirm.
