Defending champion Napoli needs a late equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw with Genoa in Serie A

Defending champion Napoli needed a late equalizer from Cyril Ngonge to rescue a 1-1 draw at home with Genoa in Serie A on Saturday ahead of a Champions League match against Barcelona.

Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo met a cross with a header at the far post and left it for Ngonge to turn in from the center of the area in the 90th minute.

The draw ended a two-match losing streak for Napoli but the Partenopei extended their winless streak to five matches across all competitions — and the squad was whistled off the pitch by fans at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Morten Frendrup had put Genoa ahead shortly after the break by finishing off a counterattack with a shot from the edge of the area for the Danish midfielder's first Serie A goal.

Napoli is ninth and Genoa is 12th.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen watched from the stands after last season's Serie A scoring leader returned late from the African Cup of Nations, where his Nigeria team was beaten by Ivory Coast in last weekend's final.

Later, second-place Juventus was visiting relegation-threatened Hellas Verona and Atalanta was playing Sassuolo.

Napoli hosts Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 on Wednesday.