Five star Napoli overcome early storm to breeze by Cagliari

Five star Napoli overcome early storm to breeze by Cagliari

Date: 26th February 2018 at 10:34pm
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Napoli weathered an early Sardinian storm before stepping up through the gears and brushing Cagliari aside en route to a comprehensive 5-0 victory that increased their cushion at the top of Serie A to four points.

It was not easy early on, but the league leaders eventually settled and took full control, even managing to kill the game off as a contest before the sides returned to the dressing rooms at the break.

Leonardo Pavoletti was quite evidently fired up for this one as he wanted to prove a personal point to the Partenopei after his forgettable spell at the Stadio San Paolo and the forward had a couple of half-chances in the opening ten minutes.

First, he found space between Pepe Reina and the Napoli back line to attempt a shot at full-stretch, which called the Spaniard into action. Not long after, he was active in the box again; this time finding himself on the end of a cross after Kwan Song Han’s good work on the right picked him out, but he could not quite get the desired contact on his header.

If Napoli’s defence were not to have it all their own way, their forward line were not about to let that be the reason for a potential slip-up and Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne in particular linked up well in attack and it was the Belgian who should have opened the scoring.

First finding himself in the box, Mertens’ initial effort deflected wide for a corner. The ball came in and was flicked on by, of all people, Insigne and it fell for Mertens who missed the target when the odds were piled in his favour, though a penalty should have been awarded as his shirt was being tugged as he reached for the ball and VAR was not consulted.

Han and Pavoletti continued to give Reina, Kalidou Koulibaly and co. nightmares at the other end as another half-chance came and went for the Italian. Insigne then took Napoli’s next turn, trying to set himself up for a volley on the edge of the box, but he did not connect properly with his attempt.

Jose Calleejon soon found the net. Allan charged down the right and drove into the box before cutting back to the Spaniard on the edge of the box and the No.7 made no mistake with his first-time effort as he curled it into the far bottom corner of Alesio Cragno’s goal.

Just before half-time the Partenopei doubled their lead through Mertens. An attacking move looked to break down as their possession was intercepted in the box but the ball kindly fell to Elseid Hysaj who got his head up and picked out the Belgian at the near post, who in turn made no mistake in poking the ball home and giving Cragno no chance.

The second half did not quite have the same electric start as the first as Napoli were understandably content with their two-goal margin.

Maurizio Sarri’s side did still attack, however, but with noticeably less urgency in their play and the hosts appeared somewhat deflated by the untimely second Partenopei goal before the break.

Marek Hamsik did grab a third and his 99th in Serie A on the hour mark. After a prolonged spell of patient possession and 18 passes, Insigne progressed on the left. The Naples native then teed up his captain on the edge of the box who, in typical fashion, ran on and converted with a sublime first-time effort, curling into the top corner with his left foot.

Leandro Castan fel aggrieved to concede a penalty ten minutes later, but Insigne’s shot did hit his hand. From the penalty spot, Insigne made no mistake as he precisely picked out the inside of the side netting to give Cragno no hope of keeping it out even at full stretch.

With the points sealed, Napoli were able to keep possession at will, with the hosts’ players looking fatigued and disheartened from being well-beaten despite not playing badly.

With the game’s final kick, Mario Rui dispatched a free-kick from the edge of the box that left Cragno rooted to the spot to finish the scoring.

 

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