Player Ratings: Napoli 3-1 Sparta Prague

Date: 19th September 2014 at 12:10am
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Dries Mertens NapoliNapoli got their Europa League campaign off to a great start with a 3-1 win over Sparta Prague at the Stadio San Paolo on Thursday night.

Sparta were rewarded with the opening goal through Josef Husbauer’s strike but Napoli were level 10 minutes later, after Nhamoinesu was adjudged to have handled a shot from Callejon. The penalty was debatable, but Higuain’s conversion was not as the Argentinian coolly dispatched into the bottom left-hand corner.

Two second half goals from Dries Mertens put the Partenopei out of sight, providing some welcome relief to under fire coach Rafael Benitez.

What do you think of our ratings? Have your say in the comments below!

Napoli

Rafael – 5 – Competent

Could do nothing about the Sparta Prague goal, and was largely a spectator thereafter. Dealt competently with a couple of speculative long-range efforts.

Miguel Britos – 5.5 – Decent

Got forward well to support Mertens and didn’t allow Dockal any space. A solid if unspectacular performance from the Uruguayan.

Kalidou Koulibaly – 4.5 – Poor

Never looked comfortable, giving away a series of fouls around the Napoli box. His lapse in concentration from a Sparta corner presented Brabec with a headed chance which could easily have seen the Czechs take a 2-1 lead.

Raul Albiol – 5 – Sub-par

Napoli looked vulnerable from set pieces throughout the match, in large part due to the poor discipline of the Spaniard and his partner Koulibaly.

Henriques – 4 – Exposed

Endured a torrid first half, as Krejci and Nhamoinesu repeatedly ran into the space behind the Brazilian. Improved in the second half as Sparta tired but won’t want to dwell on this performance.

Gokhan Inler – 6 – Metronomic

Covered a huge amount of ground for his team. His calm recycling of possession ensured Napoli were always on the front foot, and allowed Mertens and Callejon the freedom to attack.

Walter Gargano – 5.5 – Solid

Provided steel in midfield for the Partenopei, and could have scored a rare goal late on, his stinging drive being beaten away by Bicik in the 93rd minute.

Dries Mertens – 7.5 – Decisve

Somewhat suppressed in the first half, the Belgian really sparked into life in the second. Put his side in front with a tidy finish on 51 minutes, before sealing the game with a delightful run and finish, wriggling between Matejovsky and Kaderabek before firing low into the left-hand corner of the goal.

Marek Hamsik – 6 – Menacing

Not the best game the Slovakian has played in a Napoli shirt, but his mere presence caused concern for the Sparta defensive line, creating space for Higuain to run in behind. Hit the crossbar in the build-up to the penalty which led to his side’s equaliser.

Jose Callejon – 6.5 – Explosive

A constant menace on the right flank, his rasping strike crashed against the bar in the 33rd minute, and the Spaniard’s long-range shooting was a constant worry for Bicik in the Sparta goal. The former Real Madrid man won a penalty for his side after seeing his shot blocked by the hand of Nhamoinesu.

Gonzalo Higuain – 6.5 – Clinical

Thatthe Argentinian was quiet for much of the game is immaterial, as his two major contributions proved the difference between the sides. Scored the equalising goal, calmly stroking home a penalty after Nhamoinesu was adjudged to have handled a Callejon shot and then created the second goal with an explosive run followed by a low cross for Mertens to tap home.

Substitutes

Michu – 5 – Willing

Replaced Higuain on 69 minutes and could have scored were it not for a brilliant tackle from Kovac which denied the Swansea loanee a clear run on goal.

Camilo Zuniga – No rating

Replaced Hamsik on 82 minutes with the game already won.

David Lopez – No rating

Replaced fellow Spaniard Callejon with seven minutes left to play, and produced one dangerous cross which Sparta did well to clear.

Sparta Prague

David Bicik – 5.5 – Unlucky

Blameless for the three goals he conceded, the 33-year old made fine saves from Callejon and Gargano to keep his team in the fight.

Costa Nhamoinesu – 4.5 – Erratic

Offered enthusiasm, endeavour and athleticism, but not a lot of quality. The Zimbabwean’s powerful running was a constant thorn in the side of Henrique but his final ball was sorely lacking. That he notched an assist is perhaps less telling than the fact that it came as a result of a badly miscued attempt at goal.

Jakub Brabec – 5.5 – Capable

More illustrious defenders have struggled against the pace and movement of Higuain, and Brabec can be proud of his display. Beaten by the Argentinian in the build-up to Mertens’ first goal, but acquitted himself well against one of the most feared strikers in world football.

Radoslav Kovac – 7 – Heroic

Two crucial interventions kept his side in the game. Bravely threw himself in the way of a Hamsik shot on 59 minutes which saved a certain goal, his last-ditch tackle on Michu could have easily led to a penalty and a red card had he gotten it wrong, but the former West Ham man timed his challenge to perfection to deny the Spaniard a clear sight of goal.

Pavel Kaderabek – 5 – Twisted

After a solid first half, the 22-year old Czech international was unable to deal with the trickery of Mertens for the second, allowing the Belgian to ghost past him for the killer third goal.

Ladislav Krejci – 6.5 – Dangerous

A frequent source of menace for the Czech champions, his delivery from set pieces caused problems in the heart of the Napoli defence. Absolutely tormented Henrique, both through pinpoint passes to Nhamoinesu and due to his own clever running.

Lukas Maracek – 5 – Overrun

After a decent first half, playing in a two-man central midfield seemed to have an effect in the second half as the 24-year old began to look tired and unable to cope with the industry of Inler.

Marek Matejovski – 5 – Wasteful

Got himself into a number of decent positions around the Napoli penalty area, but wasted the opportunities with a number of wayward long-range shots.

Borek Dockal – 5 – Industrious

On the back-foot for much of the match as Britos pushed forward, but stuck to his task diligently and didn’t allow his opposite number time or space on the ball.

David Lafata – 5 – Frustrated

Known as a poacher of goals, Sparta’s top European goalscorer this season cut a frustrated figure. Did however win a number of free-kicks for his side.

Josef Husbauer – 5.5 – Opportunistic

Always willing to drop back and help his midfield colleagues, it was Husbauer who opened the scoring, firing a right footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner via the post.

Substitutes

Tiemoko Konate – 4.5 – Superflous

Replaced Dokal on 75 minutes as his team pushed for an equaliser. Stretched Albiol with his pace, but lacked the composure to make a more telling contribution.

Roman Bednar – 4 – Physical

Replaced goalscorer Husbauer on 78 minutes, and the former Heart of Midlothian player’s most telling contribution came in the form of a booking for a cynical foul on Zuniga.

Patrik Schick – No rating

18-year old was introduced on 84 minutes with the game already lost for his first appearance of the season. Didn’t have time to show what he can do, but even if the Czech under-19 international achieves nothing else in his career he’ll always be able to say he played at the San Paolo.

 

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