Late Kalidou Koulibaly header reignites Serie A title race

ByEurosport

Updated 22/04/2018 at 21:09 GMT

Second-placed Napoli threw the Serie A title race open in dramatic style on Sunday when Kalidou Koulibaly scored with a towering header in the last minute to give them a 1-0 win at leaders Juventus.

Napoli cut the gap between themselves and the Turin side to one point with four matches to play, setting up a dramatic finale to the Serie A season especially as Juve, chasing a seventh successive title, have to visit Inter Milan and AS Roma.

Napoli dominated the match but seemed to have run out of ideas and energy until the final minute when Jose Callejon's outswinging corner was met by Senegal international Koulibaly with a monstrous header which left Gianlugi Buffon helpless.

Juventus v Napoli - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - April 22, 2018 Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri celebrates after the match with his coaching staff

Image credit: Reuters

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Juventus, themselves famed for pulling off wins from similar situations, were left shattered while Napoli's players celebrated a famous win.

Juventus had to reshuffle their defence after Giorgio Chiellini limped off injured in the 11th minute although they nearly went ahead with a Miralem Pjanic free kick which was deflected on to the post.

As Napoli took control, Marek Hamsik got free and turned his shot across the face of goal, Mario Rui had a cross tipped over by Buffon and Lorenzo Insigne had a goal disallowed for offside.

Napoli continued to dominate after halftime but failed to make much headway against a typically resolute Juve defence.

The game appeared to be petering out into a draw that would have suited Juventus until Lorenzo Insigne's shot was turned around the post by Buffon for the decisive corner.

After all their sophisticated passing, it was an old-fashioned central defender's header which finally broke Juve's resistance.

Juventus lead on 85 points with Napoli on 84 followed by AS Roma and Lazio on 67.

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