Napoli outclassed Cagliari in a 3-0 victory in Sardinia on Sunday’s Serie A encounter.
Goals from Jose Callejon and substitute Manolo Gabbiadini added to the own goal of Antonio Balzano, as the Partenopei grabbed a crucial three points to keep their dreams of European football alive.
Both goalkeepers got tested early in the encounter, and the home side asked questions early of Napoli’s Mariano Andujar.
A set-piece was awarded in just the fourth minute as Kalidou Koulibaly received a yellow card for his harsh defending. Paul-Jose Mpoku took to the resulting free kick and lashed out an ambitious swerving shot from 30-yards that needed extra handling from the Argentine keeper.
The Isolani began to look guilty of being a step behind the opposition when defending, as Marek Hamsik easily found Gonzalo Higauin with a cross through the penalty area but the striker wasted his free time on the ball and shanked his left footed shot well over the bar in the 14th minute.
Soon enough ,the stronger play of the Partenopei resulted in an opening goal by Jose Callejon after Hamsik’s pass between the Rossoblu’s central defence left the Spaniard through on goal to easily slot the ball past Brkic in the 24th minute.
Immediately after the restart, Cagliari were agonizingly close to an equalizer. Some precise one touch passing from centre field set up Mpoku inside the area with just Andujar to beat, but Callejon was heroic yet again to sprint back and make a well timed tackle to stifle a shooting chance.
Cagliari did not back down, and kept enough composure in their playmaking to give Avelar a clear chance at goal in the 27th minute, but Andujar was up to the task and made a kicked save to preserve the lead.
Napoli looked devastating in their counter attack, and a curling shot from Hamsik was fantastically saved by Brkic to keep the home side’s hopes alive, but his efforts were left in vain.
With only a minute until half-time, Hamsik would get his just reward. The Slovakian’s luck was on his side as his cross for Lorenzo Insigne took a deflection off of Danilo Avelar’s back and Antonio Balzano’s head to eventually fly in the back of Cagliari’s net to give Napoli a two goal lead.
The start of the second half was equally strong for the Azzurri, as Rafael Benitez took off Marek Hamsik after ten minutes to be replaced by Manolo Gabbiadini, who took to the pitch in style.
Immediately after his substitution, Gabbiadini hit the back of the net with a wonderful finesse shot in 59th minute to solidify a victory.
The match would be dampened for Napoli, though, as just moments later Christian Maggio received a second yellow card for his come from behind tackle on Avelar and left the field with great protest by his teammates.
Unfortunately for Zdenek Zeman’s men, relegation looks ever more close to a reality after suffering a ninth loss since January.
