NAPLES: The city of Naples was ready.

With waving flags, billowing banners, and streets packed with hundreds of thousands of giddy, celebrating fans, the southern Italian port city was primed on Sunday to celebrate its team’s third Serie A title, 33 years after its last championship.

But now fans will have to wait some more.

Napoli were minutes away from celebrating the club’s first Serie A title since the Diego Maradona era but Salernitana spoiled their party with a late Boulaye Dia goal, extending the wait for Luciano Spalletti’s side.

The 1-1 draw spoilt plans for one of the largest street parties Italy has seen in years, leaving disappointed Napoli supporters, who came out in blue-clad force to celebrate their team, to stream home, furl away their flags and hope for better luck later in the week.

With six games still to play, Napoli have an 18-point lead over their nearest rivals Lazio, meaning they are virtually assured of winning the coveted Scudetto possibly in their next match away to Udinese on Thursday.

Even though victory still seems certain, there was a huge sense of anti-climax after they failed to wrap things up on Sunday in front on an ecstatic home crowd.

I’m not angry,” coach Spalletti told a news conference. “There is a bit of regret here, but if we think about the future it will be a pleasure anyway. Tomorrow we will all be together again, it becomes a delay of the enjoyment. It’s like when you kiss: the longer you are together, the better it feels.”

Napoli needed to win to secure the crown with six games remaining in the season after Inter Milan beat closest challengers Lazio 3-1 earlier in the day.

Naples thought a generation of frustration was set to come to an end when Mathias Olivera headed the hosts into the lead just after the hour mark.

But the long-awaited Scudetto party will have to be put on hold for at least a few more days after Dia’s stunning strike six minutes from time ensured Salernitana escaped with a point.

The players are obviously disappointed at not having made our brilliant fans happy tonight. But you’ve seen for a while that these points are the hardest ones to get,” Spalletti told DAZN. We represent their dreams and that means it’s right that their dreams are realised by us.”

Lazio stayed second thanks to third-placed Juventus drawing 1-1 at Bologna and officially dropping out of title contention, 19 points off the pace.

Napoli will win the league on Wednesday if Lazio fail to beat Sass­uolo, who beat Empoli 2-1 on Sunday with a Domenico Berardi brace.

Regardless Napoli’s current stars now only need a single point to emulate Maradona, who led southern Italy’s biggest club to their only previous league titles in 1987 and 1990.

Inter’s win over Lazio moved Simone Inzaghi’s team into the Champions League positions.

A Lautaro Martinez brace and another strike from Robin Gosens, which all came in the final 13 minutes, moved Inter into the top four ahead of AC Milan and AS Roma on goal difference.

Inter are also four points behind Lazio, who are back in a serious fight for a place in next season’s edition of Europe’s top club competition.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023