Napoli overcame Cesena 3-2 in an exciting encounter at the Stadio San Paolo in Serie A on Monday night.
Two goals from Dries Mertens and a Manolo Gabbiadini strike gave the Partenopei all three points after Gregoire Defrel twice leveled the game for the Cavallucci Marini. The result keeps Rafael Benitez’s side in the hunt for Champions League qualification with just two rounds remaining in the season.
With the Partenopei enjoying most of the possession early on it was the away side that had the first clear chance on thirteen minutes when Franco Brienza chipped a lovely ball into the box which found Carlos Barbonero, but his header was straight at Mariano Andujar.
But less than a minute later the Cavallucci Marini did take the lead when Defrel found himself in acres of space just outside the box and slotted a fine left foot shot past the outstretched hand of Andujar in the Napoli goal to the jeers of the home faithful.
The home fans mood didn’t take long to change though, because within the space of six minutes the game was turned on its head with two goals in six minutes from Mertens and Gabbiadini respectively.
Firstly the Belgium tapped in at the far post for his fifth league goal of the season after a Jose Callejon shot on the right was deflected into his path after some good interchange outside the box from Merek Hamsik and Gabbiadini to set up the attack.
Moments later the turnaround was complete when Mertens again was involved in the action as a fine run and cross from the left was fired home by Gabbiadini who beat the static Luka Krajnc to slot home passed Federico Agliardi.
After that frantic action the game went into a bit of a lull with a long-range efford from Brienza which failed to trouble Andujar the only notable action as the game neared the break.
But just as the referee was close to calling a halt to the action, Massimo Volta raced down the right and crossed into the box where it was Defrel again who slotted home his second and ninth of the season to level the game at half time.
The southern giants came out fired up for the second half and Mertens had a great chance to regain the lead on 54 minutes for the home side but his right foot shot flew across the goal and wide, to the dismay of Gabbiadini who was screaming for a pass.
Just moments later man of the match Mertens did put the home side in the lead once again, as he cut in from the left and played a bit of a scrambled one-two with Hamsik which resulted with the little Belgium coolly finishing into the bottom corner and sent the home fans delirious.
Benitez men continued to control the game and had a good chance to put the game to bed on 70 minutes when a Ghoulam cross from the left found Hamsik but the Slovak scuffed his shot and Mertens shot wide from the rebound.
As the game drew to a close, it was the Napoli fans biting their nails, but were relieved when the referee did blow the final whistle and put the Partenopei within three points of third place Lazio and four of second place Roma with two games left.
