MILAN, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Scott McTominay scored a double as defending champions Napoli twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Serie A leaders Inter Milan at the San Siro on Sunday.
Inter came close to gaining revenge for their 3-1 defeat in Naples earlier this season and a win would have opened up a commanding gap at the top but Napoli's never-say-die attitude keeps them very much in the title race.
Inter move to 43 points, three ahead of second-placed AC Milan who drew 1-1 with Fiorentina earlier on Sunday, while Napoli are third in the standings on 39 points.
""We played a solid game and remained focused," Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo told reporters.
"We're happy with this draw because it came after going behind twice."
Following some early Napoli pressure Inter took the lead in the ninth minute after the visitors lost possession in the middle of the pitch.
Marcus Thuram drove forward before laying off a pass to Federico Dimarco in the area who drilled his low shot into the far corner from a wide angle.
Inter began to press high up the pitch, with Napoli struggling to get out of their own half for long periods but out of nowhere the away side drew level in the 26th minute.
Leonardo Spinazzola's pass sent Eljif Elmas into the area and his low cross into the six-yard box was met by McTominay who got ahead of his marker Manuel Akanji at the near post to fire past Yann Sommer.
Thuram had a header tipped over by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic shortly before the break and the sides went in level at the break.
"We started well, then were a bit too timid after the goal, but we got back into it and the second half is going to be very intense," Elmas told DAZN at halftime.
MCTOMINAY TO THE RESCUE AGAIN
Napoli had chances after the interval, with Milinkovic-Savic's long clearance sending Rasmus Hojlund through on goal but his shot went narrowly wide and Di Lorenzo headed well off target from a Spinazzola cross.
The visitors were left ruing those misses when Inter were awarded a penalty for Amir Rrahmani's foul on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with Napoli boss Antonio Conte shown a red card for his furious reaction to the referee's decision.
"I don't comment on the referee's work," Di Lorenzo said. "The team stayed in the game and was rewarded with a draw."
Hakan Calhanoglu blasted his spot kick in off the upright and Inter retook the lead with 17 minutes remaining. Napoli, however, refused to bow, and it was McTominay who again equalised with nine minutes left.
Matteo Politano's floated cross into the box looked like going out of play but Noa Lang hooked the ball back from the byline for McTominay to volley home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Mkhitaryan had an added time deflected shot come back off the post and Inter were denied their seventh successive league win.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
