Inter Milan failed to turn the Serie A title race on its head after being held to a 2-2 draw by Lazio on Sunday.
Napoli’s draw against Parma meant Inter had the chance to leapfrog them to the top of the table with a win.
Inter drew first blood after defender Yan Aurel Bisseck scored from inside the box on the stroke of half-time.
Pedro equalised for the Biancocelesti, but it didn’t last long as Denzel Dumfries restored the lead with a sharp header.
Known for their defensive excellence, Simone Inzaghi’s men could have protected their lead, but mistakes scuppered their chances.
Lazio were awarded a penalty after Bisseck’s handball, and Pedro made no mistake from the spot to equalise for the second time.
Marko Arnautovic had a great chance to be Inter’s hero in injury time, but he squandered a chance from close range and also had a header ruled out for offside.
Napoli would have extended their gap to three points if they had secured three points against Parma.
Antonio Conte’s men were unfortunate as they hit the crossbar twice, while Parma keeper Zion Suzuki produced a string of stunning saves.
Napoli were awarded a penalty after a foul on David Neres late in the game, but it was overturned by VAR.
Conte’s men will be confident of keeping their one-point lead intact and securing the title against the 14th-placed Cagliari on the final match day.
A win against Como will not be enough for Inter as they must hope for Napoli to drop points to clinch the title.
There is a possibility for another interesting scenario if the two teams finish with the same points.
In that event, a single-legged play-off will be played between Napoli and Inter at a neutral venue to decide the winner.
