WATCH: Hakan Calhanoglu's missed penalty proves to be costly for Inter Milan

On Matchday 12 of the 2024–2025 Serie A season, Inter Milan played against Napoli at the San Siro. It will be a top-of-the-table battle. The Nerazzurri have 24 points after 11 games, which puts them in second place on the points table.

They have three draws, seven victories, and one defeat. However, the Gli Azzurri, with 25 points after 11 games, are at the top of the standings. They have won eight games, lost two, and drawn one. Inter Milan is coming off a Champions League victory over Arsenal. As Napoli returned with a draw from San Siro, Hakan Calhanoglu not only shot an Inter penalty onto the upright but also scored a fierce long-range goal to cancel out the opening goal from Scott McTominay.

With Atalanta, Lazio, and Fiorentina catching the Partenopei in first place after this weekend's results, there was only one point separating the clubs coming into this matchup. The hosts, who rotated their team in a Champions League triumph against Arsenal in the middle of the week and started Francesco Acerbi for the first time since October 20, had just Carlos Augusto left out. After a month, Stanislav Lobotka was back on the bench, but Billy Gilmour maintained his position as Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Conte made their comebacks to play their old team.

Hakan Calhanoglu hoped that his spotless penalty record would not be broken in "such an important game" as Inter's Scudetto matchup with Napoli, even though he knew it would not endure forever. In addition, Federico Dimarco clipped the goal's frame, Giovanni Simeone soared over with the game's final kick, and Calhanoglu had the chance to win it for Inter but, surprisingly for him, hammered a penalty onto the base of the upright.

Watch here the video:

ركلة جزاء ضائعة على إنتر ❌🥅😨

🔵 Inter Milan 1 - 1 Napoli ⚪#InterNapoli | #SerieA#ForzaInterpic.twitter.com/VfUtUtENC7

— Osama Bakkour (@OsamaBakour7) November 10, 2024

Napoli is the only team leading Serie A

Nicolò Barella's first-time attempt went just wide, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put Yann Sommer to the test early on, but Napoli seized the lead during a set play routine. McTominay moved in front of Denzel Dumfries to tap in from close range after Amir Rrahmani flicked on the corner at the near post. 

A frantic sliding challenge by Acerbi stopped Lukaku from sending Kvaratskhelia free after Hakan Calhanoglu's misdirected ball nearly gave Napoli another goal. Cyril Ngonge turned Matteo Darmian to draw back from the by-line with the game's final kick, but Giovanni Simeone missed the first attempt from 12 yards out, giving Napoli the victory. As a result, Napoli is the only team leading Serie A, although they are just one point ahead of a group that also includes Fiorentina, Lazio, Inter, and Atalanta.