Napoli easily beat Spezia 4-2 in the last Coppa Italia Quarter Final game on Thursday night. The next test for the Partenopei will be Atalanta, which they will face next Wednesday at the Gewiss Stadium in the 1st leg of the Semi Finals.
The Aquilotti had schocked Gennaro Gattuso’s band in Serie A as they captured an expected 2-1 win at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on January 6. But tonight, Napoli took less than 45 minutes to dispose of the opposition and avenge their defeat. The only sour note for the Partenopei was conceding two goals in the second half. They could surely have used more concentration.
Napoli scored the first after just five minutes as Elsaid Hysaj recovered the ball after Piotr Zieliski had made the crossbar rattle, and served Kaildou Koulibaly an easy chance for the winning tap in. Hirving Lozano double the home side’s lead on 20 minutes, making the best out of a Diego Demme long ball with a fine right-foot shot.
On the 30-minute mark, Napoli made it three with Matteo Politano. Napoli’s number 21 received the ball from Zielinski and cleverly put it past Spezia’s goalie Titas Krapikas with a soft lob. Just before the break, Elif Elmas set the score at 4-0, concluding a Napoli breakaway with a brilliant right-foot conclusion.
With the game done and dusted, Gennaro Gattuso offered some playing time to Dries Mertens and Victor Osimhen in the second half, but there was not much left to say.
Spezia saved their honor with goals from Emmanuel Gyasi and Gennaro Acampora, but it was evident that the Bianconeri‘s mind was already set on next Sunday’s game against Udinese – where Vincenzo Italiano’s side will be looking for a win to stay away from the relegation dogfight.
MATCH REPORT
January 28, 2021 – Coppa Italia 2020-21 Quarter Finals
NAPOLI-SPEZIA 4-2
SCORERS: 5′ Koulibaly (N), 20′ Lozano (N), 30′ Politano (N), 40′ Elmas (N), 72′ Gyasi (S), 74′ Acampora (S)
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NAPOLI (4-3-3): Ospina; Hysaj, Manolas, Koulibaly, Mario Rui; Elmas (69′ Osimhen), Demme, Zielinski (69′ Lobotka); Politano (88′ Di Lorenzo), Lozano (46′ Mertens; 88′ Bakayoko), Insigne (Meret, Contini, Maksimovic, Ghoulam, Rrhamani, Petagna, Cioffi) Coach: Pirlo |
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SPEZIA (4-3-3): Krapikas; Vignali (74′ Ramos), Ismajli, Terzi, Dell’Orco (46′ Bastoni); Estevez (46′ Leo Sena), Ricci, Acampora; Gyasi (74′ Farias), Galabinov (46′ Agudelo), Verde (Zoet, Rafael, Marchizza, Agoume, Chabot, Maggiore, Erlic) Coach: Italiano |
REFEREE: Mr. Fourneau from Rome
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Lozano, Mario Rui (N); Extra Time: 1st Half 0′, 2nd Half 3′