EL: Napoli comeback sinks Sparta

By Football Italia staff

Napoli fought back from a goal down to beat Sparta Prague 3-1 with Gonzalo Higuain and a Dries Mertens brace.

The San Paolo crowd was expecting Champions League football, but defeat in the play-offs to Athletic Bilbao meant a step down into the Europa League. That disappointment was reflected in the stands with only 10,000 present.

Gonzalo Higuain shook off a knock to start, but Jorginho, Jonathan de Guzman, Faouzi Ghoulam and Giandomenico Mesto were sidelined, so Miguel Angel Britos was again re-routed to left-back. Sparta Prague missed Pnkryl and Holek for this trip.

The crowd was minimal, especially after the disappointment of Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat to Chievo.

It was a bad start for the Partenopei, who were caught napping from a corner and Josef Husbauer half-volleyed from the edge of the box, in off the inside of the upright.

Napoli got back into the game, as Marek Hamsik’s effort hit the crossbar and as the move continued Costa Nhamoinesu blocked with his arms for a clear penaly. Despite seeing a spot-kick saved against Chievo at the weekend, Higuain took the responsibility and converted to equalise.

Less than a minute later Nhamoinesu clipped Higuain’s heel in the box, but this time the referee waved play on, as they seemed to cross paths.

A scorching strike from Callejon cannoned off the crossbar on 32 minutes, but Husbauer’s chance at a second goal was crucially charged down in the area.

Straight after the restart Kalidou Koulibaly was caught out on a corner, allowing Jakub Brabec to nod inches wide.

Instead, Napoli went in front for the first time as Higuain turned provider, bursting down the right to roll across for Dries Mertens to tap in from four yards.

Walter Gargano’s fierce strike was beaten away by the goalkeeper into Marek Hamsik’s path, but Kovac desperately dived in to block the rebound.

David Bicik sprinted off his line to clear from Higuain, then Mertens put the ball in the net with his arm and earned a yellow card for it. Nhamoinesu proved Sparta were still in contention with a towering header wide at the back post.

Another powerful Callejon snapshot forced a tough one-handed save from Bicik, but Mertens completed his brace with a magnificent individual goal. He waltzed in from the left, slalomed between defenders and stunned them with a step-over before firing low in at the near post.

It was very nearly 4-1 in stoppages, but Bicik flew for a spectacular one-handed save to stop a Gargano blockbuster dipping under the bar.

Napoli 3-1 Sparta Prague

Scorers: Husbauer 14 (S), Higuain pen 23 (N), Mertens 51, 81 (N)

Napoli: Rafael; Henrique, Koulibaly, Albiol, Britos; Inler, Gargano; Mertens, Hamsik (Zuniga 82), Callejon (David Lopez 84); Higuain (Michu 70)

Sparta Prague: Bicik; Kaderabek, Kovac, Brabec, Nhamoinesu; Dockal (Donate 75), Matejovsky, Marecek, Krejci; Husbauer (Bednar 78), Lafata (Schick 85)

Ref: Blom (NED)

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