Parma-Napoli 0-2, Mertens and Insigne in goal

From our correspondent Mimmo Malfitano

September 20
– Parma

The ones who never betray, the ones Rino Gattuso trusts for his first victory. The first goals of the new Napoli are from Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne who again, however, did not present anything regarding the initial formation. Then when Victor Osimhen entered the second half, Parma was forced to surrender, having held off their opponents for the first 60 minutes. But he made the difference, with those overflowing shots, which embarrassed the defense of the Emilians. The first three points, therefore, for Gattuso. Important, because obtained in a. Time when the team is working and still needs a few weeks to perform at its best. Fabio Liverani is also expected for intense work, because his Parma struggles in the defensive phase and creates little for English and Cornelius, the forward pair.

Outside Osimhen

–

The decision to leave Victor Osimhen out was, in a way, anticipated in the days before. And Rino Gattuso confirmed it shortly before the start of the match, when the formations were made official. The technician preferred Dries Mertens, a guarantee, in a way. On the right, however, is Hirving Lozano, while Politano sits next to Osimhen. In practice, there are no new faces in this Napoli for the season debut. As in Parma, with the sole exception of Fabio Liverani on the bench. The new coach relies on the English-Cornelius couple to try to counteract the physicality of Manolas and Koulibaly. The initial rhythm is high, the Emilianos try to break through to the left with Pezzella who, in speed, surprises Di Lorenzo, but his centers regularly rebound. Napoli, on the other hand, is betting on the central lines, where Zielinski is followed by Grassi.

Zero shots

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Defenses are at low risk and the two goalkeepers are usually watching for the first 45 minutes. Napoli maintain possession of the ball but find it difficult to verticalize. On the contrary, he never tries, we always tend to look for Lozano on the left who is controlled by Pezzella on sight. Gattuso continues to cheer him on from the bench, but apart from a few dribbles, the Mexican does not concede anything else to the 1000 spectators of the Tardini. The offensive phase does not convince both sides. Mertens is isolated and it’s not a problem for Iacoponi to hold him back, while Insigne is unable to jump at the man to attempt the conclusion. The same also on the other front, where Cornelius and Inglese do not find space to point towards Ospina. And so the first half ends without even a shot on goal and with two players, Demme and Darmian, booked.

Turn Osimhen

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Naples is more convinced in the second half. After 15 minutes, the turning point arrives. Gattuso calls Demme back to the bank and puts Osimhen in. The entry of the Nigerian striker causes confusion in the Parma area. In an attempt to avoid a head deflection that Iacoponi weakly rejects, at the feet of Mertens, which gives his team the advantage roundly (19 ‘). He’s unleashed, Osimhen. He goes to Darmian, giving him a couple of meters in a closed space and the conclusion is rejected by Sepe. It is always he who frees Lorenzo Insigne’s right heel and hits the post. With 4-2-3-1, it seems another Napoli, certainly more unscrupulous and less prisoner of the slowness of Demme that does not favor the speed of the attackers. Parma struggles to find itself and from a wrong disassociation of Iacoponi, short for Pezzella, comes Lozano’s conclusion, weakly rejected by Sepe: Insigne’s touch for the dubbing is simple, simple (30 ‘).