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The most spectacular game of the season so far saw Roma and Napoli battle it out to an incredible 4-4 draw in the Derby del Sud!
The Derby del Sud returned to Serie A after seven years and the intense rivalry between the sets of fans meant that this match was only open to Roma season ticket holders.
There was no roar of celebration from the visiting fans, then, when Napoli took a shock lead within 120 seconds. A free kick was not cleared effectively and Marcelo Zalayeta passed it out to Ezequiel Lavezzi. The Argentine smashed a splendid right-foot strike into the near top corner from a tight angle.
Philippe Mexes charged down a Zalayeta effort and David Pizarro's long-range strike was smothered.
The Giallorossi had difficulty creating dangerous scoring opportunities, as Napoli were able to clam up and concentrate on the counter-attack. Francesco Totti won a free kick on the edge of the area with his solo run and the touched-on missile flashed across the face of goal.
Soon after Garics had to perform a crucial intervention to turn Amantino Mancini's header out for a corner.
On the half-hour mark the referee pointed to the spot, as Paolo Cannavaro's mistimed tackle clearly brought down Pizarro in the area. Totti stepped up and buried the penalty low despite Gennaro Iezzo guessing the right angle.
Moments later Ludovic Giuly just failed to get his foot to a promising cutback in the box, while Pizarro, Mexes and Daniele De Rossi flashed efforts wide from distance.
Roma turned the game around completely before the break. Totti's powerful shot was only parried by Iezzo into the path of Simone Perrotta. He ran to the other end of the field to celebrate with goalkeeper Curci, who just became a father to baby son Gianfranco.
The Giallorossi did not learn their lesson from the first half, as they conceded an equaliser just 30 seconds after the restart! Marek Hamsik started the move and finished it. Zalayeta hooked down a Savini cross from the left for Hamsik to thump a precise right-foot drive on the bounce into the bottom near corner past a stunned Curci.
It was nearly 3-2 soon after, as Zalayeta again provided a great assist, feinting a shot before setting up Hamsik for a strike that flashed wide.
However, it was Roma who netted their third out of nowhere. De Rossi unleashed a rocket from 25 metres and Iezzo was taken by surprise as it dipped, but he horribly fumbled the ball to let it squirm beneath him.
Walter Gargano's free kick was deflected over off the wall and Lavezzi had penalty appeals waved away for a Mexes handling offence.
Napoli got themselves level on 3-3 with another spectacular effort in this thoroughly entertaining game. Gargano found space well outside the area and cracked a right-foot screamer into the far top corner past Curci's outstretched hand. It was the Uruguayan's first Serie A goal and a memorable one at that.
Less than a minute later it was almost 4-3 to Napoli! Lavezzi ran into the area and shrugged off three defenders before his half-volley thumped the underside of the crossbar!
Substitute Mirko Vucinic had a couple of good chances charged down in the box. Hamsik was fortunate not to receive a second booking for tripping Marco Cassetti on the edge of the area, but from the resulting free kick Pizarro's set-piece took a deflection off Garics' heel and looped over Iezzo into the far top corner to restore Roma's advantage!
Edy Reja threw on striker Emanuele Calaio' for a late trident attack and it worked, as moments later Napoli made it 4-4! A corner kick found Zalayeta's towering header between two defenders and De Rossi's attempted goalline clearance was too late to keep it out.
Hamsik had to clear from an unmarked Perrotta on the edge of the area, but in stoppages Hamsik's cross over the defence found Calaio's free header, but he was unbalanced and nodded wide.
In the final seconds of the match, Totti earned a free kick around the D. He took it himself, but it was charged down by the wall. The move continued and Iezzo beat away a Vucinic diving header, but he was offside anyway.
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