Napoli 3-3 Roma: Balerdi's late double cancels McTominay's brace as Allegri sees red

Napoli and Roma drew 3-3 at the Maradona on Saturday, with Roma's Leonardo Balerdi scoring twice off the bench to wipe out two Napoli leads, the second in the 89th minute. Scott McTominay had struck twice for Napoli after Frank Anguissa's overhead kick opened the scoring, and Napoli coach Massimiliano Allegri was sent off for protesting after the final equaliser.

Anguissa's overhead kick and a McTominay header

Napoli started the stronger side. On 28 minutes, a free kick from Napoli's Matteo Politano was headed clear by Roma's Marten de Roon and Anguissa met the rebound with an overhead kick that left goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini no chance. Gollini kept the gap at one with a reflex save from Mathías Olivera, and Bryan Cristante's header, flicked by Napoli's Rafa Marín, came back off the post. Three minutes after the restart McTominay headed in another Politano cross for 2-0.

Gasperini's changes turn the game

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini sent on Nahuel Molina, Santiago Castro and Balerdi around the hour, adding a second centre-forward, while Napoli lost Benoît Badiashile, who had started in place of the flu-hit Rrahmani, to injury. Matías Soulé cut the lead on 70 minutes, curling in from the edge of the area after a one-two with Donyell Malen. Four minutes later Evan Ndicka headed a cross into the path of Castro, the ball bounced off him and Balerdi, unmarked, levelled at 2-2.

McTominay restored Napoli's lead on 83 minutes with a low finish from outside the box. Balerdi answered in the 89th, heading in a cross from Roma's Wesley. Napoli claimed a foul by the Argentine on substitute Sam Beukema in the build-up, but VAR let the goal stand, and Allegri was shown a red card by referee Andrea Colombo.

What the coaches said

"Next time I'll sit on the bench and not move," Allegri told Dazn, saying the fourth official had called the referee over. He also regretted dropping more points "after the three we left in Venice". Gasperini praised Balerdi, a player "with extraordinary energy", and admitted that "in the end we have more the feeling of having lost two points".

What it changes

Roma conceded three goals at the Maradona, as many as in their first seven league games combined, but stay unbeaten: five wins and three draws for 18 points, third in our table. Lazio's 2-1 win over Parma took them to 22 points. Napoli are 10th on 11 points after three wins, two draws and three defeats.

Roma host Cagliari on Tuesday 27 October, a match for which Sky Sport expects Paulo Dybala to return. Napoli visit Monza on Wednesday, with Badiashile's injury still to be assessed.