Leonardo Balerdi Halts Napoli and Borussia Dortmund Claims Bundesliga Lead
Leonardo Balerdi scored in the 89th minute to secure a 3-3 draw for Roma against Napoli on Saturday, preserving his side’s unbeaten start to the Serie A campaign while denying their opponents top spot in the league table. The dramatic finish in Naples capped a busy day of European football that also saw Borussia Dortmund climb to the summit of the Bundesliga following a narrow win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Leonardo Balerdi Salvages Draw for Roma at Napoli
Roma extended their undefeated start in Serie A to eight matches after Leonardo Balerdi completed a brace to equalize late against Napoli. Scott McTominay had put Napoli ahead in the 83rd minute with his second goal of the match, bringing the hosts within reach of the league lead. However, Balerdi struck in the 89th minute to split the points. The Guardian reported that the thrilling 3-3 draw left Roma just short of moving to the top of the standings.
Elsewhere in Italy, Como capitalized on their recent European momentum by defeating Sassuolo 2-0. Anastasios Douvikas scored twice within an 11-minute span to lift Como into fourth place in the Serie A table, leaving them two points behind Inter Milan.
Borussia Dortmund Takes Bundesliga Lead as Vincent Kompany Misses Match
Maximilian Beier scored in the 80th minute to give Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, sending Niko Kovac’s side three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table. Jobe Bellingham entered the match as a second-half substitute and delivered a decisive pass to set up Beier less than a minute after coming onto the pitch. The result marks Dortmund’s first league victory since mid-September.
Werder Bremen Wins Five-Goal Thriller and Villarreal Triumphs in La Liga
In Spain, Georges Mikautadze scored in stoppage time to give Villarreal a 2-1 victory in their derby against Valencia. Valencia had taken the lead through a first-half penalty from Pepelu before American defender Alex Freeman equalized for Villarreal in the 69th minute. Both sides finished with 10 players after Villarreal’s Pape Gueye was sent off for elbowing José Gayà, and Valencia’s Harvey Elliott—on loan from Liverpool—received two quick yellow cards for dissent in the 89th minute, leaving Javier Aguirre’s Valencia side in 19th place.