This was the sort of Serie A match that leaves the standings looking one way and the mood feeling completely different. Napoli and Roma shared six goals at the Maradona in a thrilling 3-3 draw, but the result matters beyond the drama: Roma stay unbeaten, and Napoli are left on 11 points after Serie A matchday eight.
There was plenty to admire in the first half, especially from Napoli, who controlled the game for long stretches and went in 2-0 up after goals from Anguissa in the 28th minute and McTominay in the 48th. At that point, it looked like they had set the terms and Roma would simply be chasing shadows.
That is not how it ended. Roma responded after the break and turned the match into a completely different contest. Soulé struck in the 70th minute, Balerdi followed four minutes later, and suddenly the game had the feel of a proper scrap rather than a routine home win. Napoli did restore their lead when McTominay scored again in the 83rd minute, but even that was not enough to shut the door.
Roma refuse to go away
In the 89th minute, Balerdi completed the comeback with Roma’s equaliser, and the late drama was enough to cost Massimiliano Allegri his place on the touchline after he was sent off. That ending tells you everything about how quickly control can vanish in a match like this. Napoli had the better of the first 50 minutes, but Roma took over when it mattered most.
The standings picture is now a little more complicated, and a lot more interesting. Roma remain firmly in the Serie A title race, still unbeaten and still looking like a side that can handle pressure rather than fear it. Napoli, meanwhile, are left with 11 points, a total that keeps them in the conversation but also leaves enough room for frustration after letting a winning position slip away twice.
The wider lesson is simple enough: a 3-3 draw is entertaining, but it is not neutral. Roma walked away with their unbeaten record intact. Napoli walked away with the feeling that they should have taken more from a match they had under control for so long.
