Napoli rescues late draw versus Bologna

Napoli rescues late draw versus Bologna

Published Jan. 16, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

Edinson Cavani rescued a point for Napoli in a 1-1 draw against Bologna on Monday night at the San Paolo stadium.

Bologna looked to be heading for their first win on the road since October 26 after Robert Acquafresca put them ahead in the 14th minute.

However, Cavani equalised from the penalty spot with 19 minutes to go after Diego Perez's handball. Neither side could find a winner in the final stages and the result allowed Napoli to leapfrog Roma into sixth place. Bologna, meanwhile, are 16th, four points clear of the drop zone.

Bologna dominated the opening stages but it was Napoli that had the first chance of the game in the 10th minute.

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Hugo Campagnaro fed Marek Hamsik in the area and his left-footed strike from 10 yards was kept out by Bologna goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet.

The visitors then took the lead when Campagnaro failed to clear Nico Pulzetti's cross towards Acquafresca, who struck the ball from eight yards past Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Santis.

The hosts pressed forward and could have equalised on the half-hour mark but Hamsik's close-range effort went just wide of the far post.

Before half-time, Goran Pandev's drive from 30 yards went over the bar.

Napoli struggled to put a good move together after the break and it was Bologna who threatened on the hour mark.

Archimede Morfeo's central effort from outside the area was kept out by De Sanctis and at the other end, Salvatore Aronica hit a stinging drive that Gillet saved.

Napoli were struggling and not carving out any chances but were rewarded in one of their attacks when Perez was punished for the handball.

Cavani stepped up to take the spot-kick and blasted it to the centre of goal to beat Gillet.

Bologna still could have snatched all three points as Morfeo found Marco Di Vaio in the box and the veteran forward struck the ball towards the bottom left corner.

However, the effort was kept out by De Sanctis.

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