SS Napoli got a vital away result, beating 10-man Borussia Dortmund
by 2-1 with Gonzalo Higuain and Lorenzo Insigne stunners.
The Partenopei took
a giant step in this year Champions league playing against last year’s
runners-up at a packed out Stadio San Paolo, which Coach Jurgen Kloppdescribed as “a mystical
experience.” Borussia had
to do without IlkayGundogan, Sebastian Kehl and Lukasz Piszczek, while Jakub Blaszczykowskisurprisingly started instead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Lorenzo Insignegot the nod ahead of Goran Pandev for the Partenopei.
History recalled that Napoli
have not beaten a German side on home turf since Stuttgart in the 1989 UEFA Cup Final, though their overall record
was five wins, three defeats and a draw with Bayern Munich in 2011.
Miguel Angel Britos ran
a big risk in the opening minutes on HenrikhMkhitaryan, while Lorenzo Insigne’s shot
flashed across the face of goal.
Gonzalo Higuain burst
forward and dribbled past one defender, but NevenSubotic performed
a perfectly-timed tackle just inside the box as he was pulling the trigger.
Robert Lewandowski had
a great chance on 25 minutes when he ran into the box and was denied by Pepe Reina’s knee at the near post, then
Juan CamiloZuniga did well to turn the Sven Bender
follow-up over the bar.
It was Napoli who
broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark with a splendidHiguain glancing
header from six yards on Zuniga’s cross that flew into the far bottom
corner. Klopp was
livid and screamed at the Fourth Official, so was sent off for dissent.
A couple of Reus free kicks were disappointing for Borussia, while Higuainnodded wide from a free
kick.
The Germans were
forced into a substitution just before the break, as MatsHummels hobbled
off with a suspected hamstring strain to make way for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
However, moments later Borussia were
left with 10 men, as goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller sprinted out of the box to counter Higuain’s run
and flapped the ball away with his hand. It was an inevitable straight red
card. Mitchell Langerak came off the bench and his first job
was to block a Higuainfree kick.
Napoli poured forward
trying to take advantage of the extra man, but bothHiguain and Hamsik had
shots charged down in quick succession. Insignedribbled his way to the
by-line and pulled back, but it was cleared on toHamsik’s shins
from five yards when he wasn’t expecting it.
Insigne went
for goal himself and scored a sensational goal. The 21-year-old curled a free
kick round the wall and into the very top corner, just off the underside of the
bar where the goalkeeper had no chance.
Aubameyang nearly
got Borussia Dortmund
back into it moments later, as his long-range strike smacked against the
crossbar past Reina’s flailing gloves.
Dries Mertens replaced Insigne and
immediately tried to score with a free kick aimed at the near post from a tight
angle, but Langerak was
able to palm it away.
Borussia were
able to get one back and set up a very tense finale, as Zunigadeflected a cross with his heel and it hit the
inside of the upright to cross the line before Reina could flap it away.
The Germans had their
tails up now despite being down to 10 men and Reina flew to palm out a Reus free kick.
Scorers: Higuain 29 (N), Insigne 67
(N), Zuniga og 87
(B)
Napoli: Reina; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Zuniga; Inler, Behrami; Callejon, Hamsik(Mesto 91), Insigne (Mertens 73); Higuain (Pandev 77)
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Schmelzer, Subotić, Hummels(Aubameyang 44), Grosskreutz; Şahin, Bender; Reus, Mkhitaryan (Hoffmann76), Blaszczykowski (Langerak 45+2); Lewandowski
Ref: Proenca (POR)
Sent off: Weidenfeller 45+1 (B)
