Napoli draw dramatically with AS Roma: Malen scores a brace, new signing rescues in the 82nd minute.

The late match of Serie A's 25th round at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium lived up to expectations of a high-stakes clash. AS Roma, under the brilliant performance of Donyell Malen, twice took the lead, but Napoli's resilience and a moment of brilliance from new signing Alisson Santos secured a point for the home team.

First half: Roma takes the lead, Napoli responds.

Despite playing away at Napoli's "cauldron," Roma started confidently and created a surprise in the 7th minute. Bryan Zaragoza, in his first start, provided a sublime assist for Donyell Malen, who raced down and fired a powerful diagonal shot into the net, opening the scoring for the capital team.

The early goal allowed Roma to deploy their signature counter-attacking style of play. Napoli, despite dominating possession, were completely ineffective against the disciplined defense of their coach. It wasn't until the 40th minute that the deadlock was broken when Leonardo Spinazzola unleashed a decisive long-range shot; the ball deflected off a Roma defender and into the net, leveling the score at 1-1.

A brilliant performance by Donyell Malen

In the second half, Napoli continued to dominate possession, but Roma were the better team at capitalizing on their opportunities. In the 68th minute, a quick counter-attack by Wesley forced Amir Rrahmani to commit a foul in the penalty area. From the penalty spot, Donyell Malen made no mistake to complete his brace, putting Roma ahead once again.

Notably, this was the Dutch striker's fifth goal in just one week, a testament to his devastating form since joining Roma on loan from Aston Villa.

A thunderous shot from new signing Alisson Santos.

Unwilling to accept defeat at home, coach Antonio Conte made some risky substitutions. The decision to bring Alisson Santos on in the 71st minute paid off. Just 11 minutes after coming on, the young star received a pass from Giovane and unleashed a powerful long-range shot, beating goalkeeper Mile Svilar and leveling the score at 2-2 for Napoli.

In the final minutes of the match, Mile Svilar of Roma proved his worth with a spectacular save against Santos' free-kick in injury time, preserving a draw for the visitors.

The standings after round 25

The 2-2 draw allowed Napoli to maintain their third position in the Serie A standings. Meanwhile, AS Roma are right behind them in fourth place, three points behind. The match not only provided spectacular goals but also showcased the depth of their squads and the shrewd tactical calculations of both clubs in the race for a Champions League spot.

Final results:Napoli 2-2 AS Roma

Goals:

• Napoli:Leonardo Spinazzola (40'), Alisson Santos (82')
• AS Roma:Donyell Malen (7', 71' penalty)