By Angu Lesley
Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
Andre Frank Zambo played the final 13 minutes plus additional time this Sunday after recovering from a muscle problem but his presence couldn’t help Napoli better earning just a point away to in-form Venezia.
SSC Napoli were dealt a Scudetto title blow as the stubborn Venezia outfit kept them at bay to share spoils in a thrilling stalemate at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, with the hosts firing another blank to make it three straight goalless games at the venue for the first time since November 2001.
Venezia started with real intent, but it was Giacomo Raspadori who nearly stunned the home faithful with a thunderous left-footed strike that rattled the inside of the left post before bouncing back into play. Moments later, Scott McTominay tested Ionuț Radu with two powerful headers from set-piece deliveries, forcing the Venezia shot-stopper into a pair of superb saves as Napoli pressed forward in a bid to keep pace with league leaders Inter Milan.
However, the Lagunari had their best chances at the other end just before HT, when Kike Pérez latched onto a cross inside the box and directed a low effort towards the bottom-right corner, only for Alex Meret to make a comfortable stop. Seconds later, Amir Rrahmani was on hand to clear Daniel Fila’s shot off the goal line after a chaotic rebound inside the penalty area.
Despite the pressure, Napoli nearly took the lead at the very end via Romelu Lukaku’s header, which Radu masterfully saved on the goal line to end an exciting first period.
Antonio Conte’s men upped the tempo after the break, asserting control over the game but failing to find the cutting edge in the final-third. Venezia’s ongoing 11-game winless run began with a narrow 1-0 loss to Napoli in December’s reverse fixture, and as the match wore on, the hosts appeared increasingly vulnerable to conceding first.
However, Eusebio Di Francesco’s decision to introduce two pairs of fresh legs with 20 minutes to go injected new energy into Venezia’s attack, unsettling Napoli’s defence and shifting the momentum while the visitor also introduced Zambo Anguissa in place Billy Gilmour.
In the end, neither side found an elusive winner, playing out a first head-to-head draw since December 2003 in Serie B.
Napoli suffer another blow in their pursuit of reclaiming the Scudetto, giving both Atalanta BC and Inter Milan the upper hand following a seventh draw this season.
Venezia, meanwhile, still linger five points adrift of safety, with their return to the Italian second-tier looking increasingly likely as the rounds go by.
Zambo whose introduction in Cameroon squad for next week’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers sparked controversy due to his injury situation will fly home to begin preparing to face Eswatini and Libya on match day five and six of the 2026 event billed for Mexico, Canada and the USA.
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