Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma.
Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time.
Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“I can only applaud my team for the way they played, unfortunately they were not able to get that bit of luck,” Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi said, adding that he believed his team should have had a penalty in the second half for a foul on Marcus Thuram.
“I can understand the referee not seeing it ... but those who are sat down [in the video assistant referee booth] cannot not call the referee. It’s the third or fourth time it’s happened and it’s starting to annoy me.”
Inter dominated, but Milan hung on to stay eighth, five points behind Juventus, who beat Empoli 4-1 in the day’s early game.
Photo: AFP
For Milan, Netherlands midfielder Reijnders netted his 11th goal of the season on the rebound at the end of a lightning counterattack after Yann Sommer palmed out Rafael Leao’s low cross.
To lose to that goal would have been a sucker punch for dominant Inter, who had three goals chalked off, while Yann Bisseck, Thuram and Denzel Dumfries all hit the post in the second half, but another Dutchman in De Vrij pounced at the death to silence a packed San Siro.
The stadium was dominated by Milan fans, but missed some of its color due to a police ban on pre-match fan displays as part of a crackdown on the hardcore ultra supporters of the two clubs.
Photo: AP
“I don’t think we played very well in possession, we had to be more calm on the ball because there were some opportunities,” Reijnders told DAZN. “If we stay more cool in these kinds of situations we can control the game more, unfortunately that didn’t happen tonight.”
Napoli were on course for an eighth straight win after Roma old boy Leonardo Spinazzola looped home his first goal of the season in the 29th minute in Rome.
Roma, who are ninth, nine points behind Juve, fought back against their fierce rivals and Angelino brought the house down when he crashed home Alexis Saelemaekers’ beautifully floated cross.
That Roma strike could be important for Inter who on Thursday complete their fixture with ACF Fiorentina which was stopped in December last year after Viola midfielder Edoardo Bove’s on-pitch collapse.
Should two teams finish level on points at the top of the league come the end of the season the scudetto would be decided by a playoff between those sides.
“We obviously leave here with a bit of a bitter taste in the mouth because we were leading until the 92nd minute without even being under that much pressure,” Napoli head coach Antonio Conte said. “These things happen, it’s part of a team growing and in the end it’s another point in the bag.”
Inter and Napoli drawing also kept third-placed Atalanta BC’s unprecedented title bid on course, although the provincial upstarts are seven points behind Napoli and four away from Inter.
Juve’s new signing Randal Kolo Muani struck twice in three minutes in the second half in Turin, with Dusan Vlahovic and Francisco Conceicao netting late on with Empoli down to 10 men.
Juve had gone behind early to a header from old boy Mattia de Sciglio.
Sunday’s other Serie A match saw ACF Fiorentina defeat Genoa 2-1.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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