Hamšík has Napoli's riposte as Beşiktaş are held
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
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Ricardo Quaresma's late penalty was quickly followed by an excellent Marek Hamšík equaliser as it finished 1-1 between Group B rivals Beşiktaş and Napoli in Istanbul.
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A fine goal by Marek Hamšík – eight minutes from time and three minutes after Ricardo Quaresma's opener - gave Napoli an important point at Beşiktaş in UEFA Champions League Group B.
Napoli began brightly with Manolo Gabbiadini forcing goalkeeper Fabri into a couple of difficult saves. And things did not look good for the home side when Duško Tošić was forced off with an injury midway through the first half.
Surprisingly, though, the blow had a positive effect on Beşiktaş who went close to taking the lead when skipper Atiba Hutchinson grazed the outside of the near post from a great position after a poor headed clearance by Kalidou Koulibaly.
José Callejón might also have done better early in the second period when he nudged the ball past Fabri but wide of the upright. Lorenzo Insigne also missed the target when well placed, and the Partenopei paid for their profligacy when Quaresma scored from the spot. Captain Hamšík, however, came to the rescue for the visitors.
Key player: Marek Hamšík (Napoli)
After the 2-1 weekend defeat at Juventus in Serie A, Hamšík received some criticism for not performing well enough in the biggest games. The attacking midfielder proved the doubters wrong with a wonderful curled effort from outside the box which earned Napoli a potentially crucial point in Istanbul – and crown an excellent overall display.
Güneş forced to adapt
Since the start of the season, Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş has rotated his deep squad, hoping to find the perfect blend. However, forced to be creative because of recent injuries, he is currently getting the best out of the available personnel. His team arguably had their strongest 20 minutes after an early injury to Duško Tošić, when Cenk Tosun came into the mix and Vincent Aboubakar assumed a free role. While injuries are never welcome, Güneş can be at his best when coping with limitations.
Napoli's missing link
"When they had Higuaín they were starting every game 1-0 up, now it's a completely different story," Fabio Capello said this week about Napoli. Obviously without the injured Arkadiusz Milik in attack everything is more complicated for the Partenopei, who continue to struggle to turn into goals the many opportunities they create.
Reporters' views
Çetin Cem Yılmaz, Beşiktaş (@UEFAcomCetinCY)
Beşiktaş and Napoli was always going to be an entertaining affair, but this was more methodical than most expected. The goals came during four minutes of madness, while the remainder of the game was a fascinating contest between two tactically disciplined and beautifully flawed sides. Group B remains open for both, but now Beşiktaş will probably need nothing less than a win against Benfica. And the question why Beşiktaş cannot hold onto a clean sheet will be occupying the mind of coach Güneş.
Paolo Menicucci, Napoli (@UEFAcomPaoloM)
Two weeks ago Napoli paid a high price for defensive mistakes and missed chances. The Partenopei nearly did exactly the same here, but this time they earned a good away point courtesy of a nice Hamšík goal. Still, Maurizio Sarri's men squandered some decent openings before and after Hamšík’s strike. It is not easy to win games in the UEFA Champions League if you are not clinical in front of the goal.
