Napoli defeated Arsenal 2-0 at the Stadio San Paolo in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon gave them the victory but it wasn’t enough to send them through to the knockout round.
The first real chance of the game fell to Goran Pandev in the eighth minute of the game after Dries Mertens’ long diagonal found the Macedonian international on the left hand side of the box. However, he took too long and his weak attempt went straight into the hands of Wojciech Szczesny
Napoli had the better of the play but the away side came close to taking the lead midway through the first half after Olivier Giroud fired a powerful shot from the left hand side of the box, only for it to be beaten away by Rafael.
The Azzurri continued to push and Jose Callejon was next to to come close, firing his shot just over the bar from 25 yards.
The best chance of the first half fell to Christian Maggio just before the break after Szczesny came charging out his goal. The Italian tried to lob the ball over the Pole from a tight angle, but failed sending the ball well over the bar and out for a goal-kick.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure and nearly got their reward on half-time. Gonzalo Higuain charged down Szczesny’s poor kick which hit the Argentine in the face and went just wide of the left post.
The Gunners started the second half well and came close to putting the final nail in Napoli’s coffin when a long ball over the top found Giroud. However, Rafael rushed out his goal and managed to clear the ball away just in time.
The Partenopei had arguably the best chance on the game on the hour mark when after a long run down the left Pablo Armero smashed his shot straight at the keeper.
The home side had the visitors rattled and Callejon came close on the hour mark, when his low driven shot from the edge of the box going went just wide of the far post.
Moments later Higuain was next to come close but he couldn’t keep his shot down, blasting well over the bar.
The Azzurri got their reward on the 73rd minute thanks to Higuain. The Argentine controlled the ball and spun expertly just inside the box smashing the ball into the bottom left corner with a sweetly struck shot with his left foot.
Things went from bad to worse for Arsenal just three minutes later after Mikel Arteta was sent off for what the referee deemed to be a second bookable offense.
The Partenopei managed to get a second in injury time but it wasn’t enough to send them through as Borussia Dortmund beat Marseille 2-1 and Napoli will now play in the Europa League.
