Napoli also walks firmly in Europe

Napoli also walks firmly in Europe

MADRID, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Italian Naples put its ticket to the 2022-2023 Champions League quarterfinals on track after beating German Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 with solvency on Tuesday, in a match where it went from less to more and where it showed that its dominance in Serie A it is no coincidence.

Luciano Spalletti's team also wants to shine in Europe as they are doing in their domestic tournament and confirmed this in the first chapter of their duel against the Europa League champion, usually strong in their stadium, but who could not counteract the current state in the form of his rival and that hardly disturbed Meret throughout the game.

The Neapolitan team took a good booty for the return at Diego Armando Maradona, which could have even been greater than a more successful night for one of its stars, the Georgian Kvaratskhelia, who was a 'torment' for the erratic local defense along with Osimhen and 'Chucky' Lozano.

In any case, the start of the game was better on the part of Oliver Glassner's men, who gave a first warning through their best offensive weapon, the Frenchman Kolo Muani. However, Eintracht would not give him continuity and his rival gradually grew to take control, although without clear chances except for a 'bitten' shot from the Georgian that Trapp repelled well.

The final stretch of the first half was a 'nightmare' for Eintracht. Lozano stamped a ball on the post and in the subsequent rebound, Tuta committed an innocent penalty on Osimhen. Kvaratskhelia was not able to take advantage of it before the great intervention of the local goalkeeper, but it was only a delay in 0-1.

A loss from Götze shortly after allowed the visitors to mount a quick transition and 'Chucky' Lozano assisted so that Osimhen did not forgive. The Nigerian had two more before the break, but in the first he rushed into his uncheck and his goal was disallowed, while in the second he did not finish off correctly.

After the break, Eintracht was unable to react and was left at the mercy of the Serie A leader, who found little opposition, even less so when Muani's impetus in a divided ball with Zambo Anguissa cost him a red card. Spalletti's team, in any case, had already warned with a shot from Lozano and a one-on-one from Kvaratskhelia that Trapp again saved, the best of the Europa League champion.

But with the numerical superiority, the 0-2 seemed that it would not be long in coming and finally it did. Anguissa found the speedy Georgian and he drew a great heel shot for the arrival from the side of Di Lorenzo, who with finesse and his left leg placed it out of the reach of the German goalkeeper.

The goal didn't wake up Glassner's men either, who tried without much success and only had a good chance through the Japanese Kamada. Napoli searched for the third almost out of inertia, but could not find it and Spalletti preferred to reserve players for future commitments.

--RESULT: EINTRACHT FRANKFURT, 0 - NAPLES, 2 (0-1, at halftime).

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT: Trapp; Night, Jakic, N'Dicka; Buta (Knauff, min.69), Comrade, Horse, Max (Lenz, min.92); Lindstrom (Borré, 69 mins), Kolo Muani and Götze (Alidou, 81 mins).

NAPLES: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rahmani, Olivera; Forgiveness (North, 80 mins), Lobotka, Zielinski; Lausanne (Elmas, 80 minutes), Osimhen (Simeone, 84 minutes) and Kvaratskhelia (Politano, 84 minutes).

0-1, minute 40. Osimhen.

0-2, minute 65. Di Lorenzo.

--REFEREE: Artur Dias (POR). He admonished, for Eintracht, and Kim (min.38), Elmas (min.83), for Napoli. He sent off Kolo Muani for a direct red card in the 58th minute.

--ESTADIO: Deutsche Bank Park.