Napoli bounced back from their disappointing reverse on Sunday to Fiorentina by sweeping Catania aside 4-2 in Serie A action on Wednesday from Sicily.
They led 4-0 at the break thanks to a Duvan Zapata brace while Jose Callejon and Henrique also got on the score sheet but for Catania, their Serie A stay looks like it is almost over despite second half goals from Norbert Gyomper
Napoli, perhaps with Rafael Benitez’s words of belief that they can still clinch second spot ringing in their ears, started with their usual vibrancy as Lorenzo Insigne controlled well and fired a strike in after two minutes that was blocked well but it was to be a better clearance at the other end from Federico Fernandez to clear one off the line after Pepe Reina was caught a long way from home.
Often this season, the Partenopei have been guilty of not taking their chances when they are on top but on this occasion, they went in front after 16 minutes while exerting their influence. The always nippy Jose Callejon evaded a challenge out wide and zipped a cross along the penalty area where Zapata was on hand to supply a simple finish.
Keko was having a good game in the middle of the park for the home side and he went so close to an equaliser when he unleashed an effort from 25 yards that ended up rattling the woodwork above Reina’s head. But when you are rooted to the foot of the table and things aren’t going your way, it often seems the breaks don’t go your way.
As evidenced by what happened two minutes later. The goalkeeper Mariano Andujar’s (who is Napoli-bound) authority was poor in dealing with a ball in and his punch was weak allowing Callejon to tap into an empty net after a mix up with Nicola Legrottaglie.
A minute later, Pablo Barrientos found space inside the box but clipped his attempt over the top, possibly taking a nick off the crossbar on the way out but once more it was another good opening going begging for the Sicilian side.
Giuseppe Bellusci and Gino Peruzzi both had to have their wits about them to keep further attempts out but they would not be able to keep the Vesuviani quiet for long and sure enough they added more before the break.
Marek Hamsik fed the ball to Henrique and he fired one over everyone and into the top corner with a beautiful volleyed strike from a tight angle that looked to have caught Andujar completely off guard and rekindled memories of Marco van Basten’s epic volley before Zapata added his second and Napoli’s fourth before the half time whistle was blown.
Callejon again fed the striker inside the area and once more he found the net on his right foot with Catania defending truly horribly and akin to a team who have accepted their Serie B fate.
They did pull one back nine minutes into the second half when Reina parried a strike from Keko into the path of Monzon who nudged home the rebound for what looked to be just a consolation for Rolando Maran’s side.
The Elefanti got another on the board with 15 minutes to go when Francesco Lodi crossed for Gyomber who headed home unmarked in a crowded penalty area from a corner kick.
