Stadio San Paolo
Napoli slide back down behind Juventus after failing to break down 10-man Cagliari.
Time was running out for the Partenopei to break back into the Champions League spots, but a win was expected against a Cagliari side that hadn’t won since February. Fabio Quagliarella continued to sit out his three-match ban for insulting the referee, but Christian Maggio was the only other absentee. The Sardinians missed Diego Lopez, Francesco Pisano and Andrea Parola.
Federico Marchetti flew to palm a German Denis header round the near post, then palmed a Marek Hamsik snapshout out from under the crossbar in the opening 10 minutes.
Bad news for Napoli, who lost Ezequiel ‘Pocho’ Lavezzi to injury, making way for Mariano Bogliacino.
Denis had penalty appeals for an Ariaudo shirt-tug, but the referee waved play on. Denis did get his chance soon after, but Marchetti had a strong hand to turn his header off the line.
It turned into a siege before half-time, as Marchetti beat away a series of desperate efforts from Denis, Bogliacino and Walter Gargano. The Cagliari goalkeeper was unbeatable and pushed a Denis strike from point-blank range out at the near post.
Marchetti continued his one-man duel with the entire Napoli squad, risky challenges denying Pazienza and Bogliacino as part of the same move.
Cagliari went down to 10 men after substitute Andrea Cossu was spotted in an off the ball foul on Gianluca Grava.
Napoli kept pushing and Juan Zuiga skipped past Astori to go one-on-one with Marchetti, but finished it like a defender and flashed the shot across the face of goal.
In stoppages Denis turned a diving header inches wide of the upright.
Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Grava, Zuniga, Pazienza (Maggio 78), Gargano, Aronica (Dossena 54), Hamsik, Denis, Lavezzi (Bogliacino 26)
Cagliari: Marchetti; Ariaudo, Canini, Astori, Agostini, Dessena, Conti, Biondini, Lazzari (Cossu 73), Matri (Ragatzu 52), Larrivey (Nene’ 64)
Ref: Mazzoleni
Sent off: Cossu 80 (C)
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We’ll have your suggestion on mind, thanks.