Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini praised his team's maturity and spirit after coming from behind twice to earn a 3-3 draw against Napoli. Braces from Scott McTominay and substitute Leonardo Balerdi highlighted a dramatic encounter at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Gasperini's Roma fight back in breathless six-goal thriller
Roma produced a remarkable second-half comeback to secure a 3-3 draw against Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. After falling 2-0 behind to an Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa bicycle kick and a Scott McTominay header, the visitors rallied with goals from Matias Soule and substitute Leonardo Balerdi.
McTominay scored his second from distance to restore Napoli's lead, but Balerdi headed in an 89th-minute equalizer to snatch a point.
The result preserved Roma's unbeaten record against top-tier opposition this season.
Gasperini praises team conviction despite late setback
Speaking to DAZN Italia, Gasperini expressed immense pride in how his players handled adversity throughout the match. "Apart from the first half-hour, where Napoli were superior... we had many chances and believed we could win," Gasperini stated.
"Napoli’s third goal could have been the end for us, but we managed to score the equaliser, with a lot of energy and belief."
"The lads were not frenetic, they didn’t panic, we maintained our positions and our style of football," the Italian tactician noted.
Manager salutes Balerdi impact and discusses Allegri red card
Gasperini singled out summer signing Balerdi for his decisive two-goal display off the bench, while also addressing Massimiliano Allegri's late touchline dismissal with humor. "Balerdi and De Roon were leaders and captains at their clubs... Balerdi scored a brace; he’s a major asset," Gasperini said.
"After this game we really feel as if we’ve dropped two points, even though considering we were 3-2 down, we’ll take it."
Asked if he spoke to Allegri after his red card, Gasperini smiled: "No. I hope he wasn’t angry with me, I wasn’t the one who sent him off!"
Giallorossi build momentum following big-match tests
The draw in Naples marks Roma's third major stalemate against top opposition this season, following results against Inter and Como.
Gasperini believes taking points off former champions proves his side can compete with anyone in Serie A.
Roma now return to training as they prepare for their next league test with high morale.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
