Cagliari 1-1 Napoli: Zito Luvombo's stoppage time strike sees Champions lose ground in European qualification race

Zito Luvumbo scored late in added time to earn Cagliari a 1-1 draw at home against Napoli on Sunday, after Victor Osimhen gave the visitors the lead.

Defending champions Napoli remain ninth in the standings with 37 points, while Cagliari are second from the bottom with 20 points.

After a scoreless first half, Osimhen scored with a header in the 65th minute, which appeared to be enough to secure all three points until Luvumbo struck late.

"I've been missing a goal for a long time, I scored in front of my fans, it's a huge happiness," Luvumbo told Dazn.

Francesco Calzona, who replaced Walter Mazzarri as Napoli manager on Monday, has now drawn his first two games, with the midweek Champions League tie against Barcelona also ending 1-1.

Sunday's game never promised to be a goalfest, with Napoli failing to score in their last five away games and Cagliari scoring 23 goals in 25 league games, and the first half provided few clear-cut opportunities.

Napoli dominated possession, but Cagliari on the counter provided some attacking threat, and they thought they had the lead when Amir Rrahmani headed a free kick into his own net, but it was called back for offside.

The second half saw little improvement until the 64th minute, when Osimhen powered a header from a corner into the ground, but it landed safely in the hands of the Cagliari goalkeeper.

A minute later, the Nigerian striker made no mistake.

Cagliari's Tommaso Augello was dispossessed by Giacomo Raspadori on the right wing, and his floated cross found Osimhen unmarked at the back post for an easy header that broke the deadlock.

Napoli had late-game chances to secure the win, with unmarked Matteo Politano shooting wide and Giovanni Simeone shooting straight at the keeper from close range in added time, and they were punished for their missed opportunities.

With time running out, Alberto Dossena hit a hopeful long ball that fell to Luvumbo in the area, who turned and shot on the half volley into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations among the home fans.

"Napoli found the goal from our mistake, luckily they didn't double their lead," Cagliari manager Claudio Ranieri told a press conference.

"But our fans supported us and we deservedly equalised."

Cagliari may be winless in their last six games, but after four consecutive defeats, two draws have given them valuable points in their fight against relegation, bringing them level with Sassuolo in the safety zone.

Calzona, Napoli's third manager this season, has a lot of work to do if they want to salvage anything from this season, with a Champions League qualification spot still a long way away.

SportsLigue