Napoli drop points in Como stalemate to see title hopes fade away

[p]Kicking off 10 points adrift of former side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a], Antonio Conte’s focus was now firmly on a second-placed finish amidst uncertainty over his future.[/p][p]However, the visitors were on the back foot for much of the first half, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/como/ttyLthOA/"]Como[/a] carved out several presentable chances. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paz-martinez-nicolas/GG6EYRT0/"]Nico Paz[/a] was pulling the strings in midfield and slipped through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/douvikas-anastasios/YgPGkQYi/"]Anastasios Douvikas[/a], who rounded Vanja Milinkovic-Savic but couldn’t direct his shot past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rrahmani-amir/8Sw4X8wk/"]Amir Rrahmani[/a] on the goalline.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diao-assane/rZziaoTk/"]Assane Diao[/a] was the next player to be set through on goal by Paz, yet Milinkovic-Savic was alert to smother the low strike, keeping the contest goalless heading into the break.[/p][image alt="Como - Inter match stats" id="9a116a8e-483d-4b2c-8486-0958c7d425ca" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="adf89d32-9c5f-4d22-ac52-6ddd7e689c1e" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]AS Roma[/a] (nine) have kept more clean sheets than the Lariani’s eight, and with 45 minutes to play, that record looked likely to be equalled based on Napoli’s rather tame first-half attacking play.[/p][p]The opening quarter-hour of the second period did little to convince otherwise, and the visitors had Milinkovic-Savic to thank for adjusting well to keep out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baturina-martin/0WWy1lhR/"]Martin Baturina[/a]’s improvised deflected effort. [/p][p]A rare chance for the Partenopei presented itself in the closing stages when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mctominay-scott/A7S3y397/"]Scott McTominay[/a] controlled well as he ran in behind, but he couldn’t guide his near-post strike on target.[/p][p]That chance seemed to finally spark Napoli into life as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/politano-matteo/lxWZKRDD/"]Matteo Politano[/a] curled onto the post five minutes from time, but that was ultimately as close as either side came to finding a winner in a largely underwhelming affair.[/p][p]Yet to defeat a top-three side in the league this season (D3, L3), Como nonetheless sit just five points behind those sides, and more importantly, within two points of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]Juventus[/a] and a UEFA Champions League spot, albeit having played an extra game.[/p][p]Meanwhile, the Partenopei have managed only 12 points from a possible 30 in the 10 away games against sides starting the round in the top 13 (D3, L6), underlining why they have failed to keep pace with champions-elect Inter.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/milinkovic-savic-vanja/Mw0wd0xM/"]Vanja Milinkovic-Savic[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/como-ttyLthOA/napoli-69Dxbc61/?mid=O8j1bUt9"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p]