Napoli preserved their Serie A lead on Sunday after a gripping 1-1 draw with Inter Milan at the San Siro, where a missed penalty proved costly for Inter.
Hakan Calhanoglu struck the post from the spot in the 74th minute, missing his first penalty in 18 attempts after a debatable foul on Denzel Dumfries, which enraged Napoli’s coach Antonio Conte as VAR officials opted not to intervene.
“VAR is there to correct decisions, end of story,” Conte said, voicing his frustration.
Inter equalised just before halftime through Calhanoglu, who had netted a midweek Champions League penalty against Arsenal. Napoli had taken the lead earlier when Scott McTominay tapped in a crucial goal, but Inter pressed relentlessly, with Federico Dimarco hitting the post in the 53rd minute.
Despite the setback, Calhanoglu expressed regret, saying, “I’m sorry that I missed my first penalty, I knew that sooner or later it would happen but it’s a shame that it happened today because it was a very important match,”
With just two points separating the top six, Juventus, Atalanta, and other contenders remain in close pursuit, promising a thrilling title race.
