Young Boys brilliance too much for Napoli
Thursday, October 23, 2014
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BSC Young Boys 2-0 SSC Napoli
Guillaume Hoarau and Leonardo Bertone were on target as the hosts ended the Serie A side's perfect Group I start to join them on six points.
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• Young Boys end Napoli's perfect start to Group I
• Guillaume Hoarau with opener; Leonardo Bertone slots added time second
• Swiss side stretch run to six successive home wins in European competition
• Napoli joined by Young Boys on six points at top of section
• Next games: Napoli v Young Boys (6 November)
BSC Young Boys maintained their excellent home form to end SSC Napoli's 100% record in Group I and join the Italian side on six points at the top of the section.
It was all set up to be a cracker with Napoli top of the group after two wins from two, while the hosts had recorded victories in their last five European fixtures on home soil. Milan Gajić skipped a low effort wide from outside the area for the home side before Duván Zapata's chip just lacked the legs to drop over Yvon Mvogo at the other end. The ball pinballed from one area to the other as Young Boys forward Guillaume Hoarau flicked a header a fraction wide before Jonathan De Guzmán forced Mvogo into a smart save.
Dries Mertens proved a catalyst for the visitors – who started with Gonzalo Higuaín and Marek Hamšík on the bench – and the Belgian international was centrestage as Napoli took command. A mischievous effort from 45 metres almost caught out the home keeper while a free-kick was rattled straight at Mvogo, who then turned a curling effort round the post as his personal duel with the winger continued until half-time.
Napoli sustained their forward momentum after the restart as Faouzi Ghoulam sent a free-kick a whisker wide. However, Young Boys were rewarded for hanging in on 52 minutes as a bouncing cross was brought under control by Hoarau in the area before he guided a controlled low shot into the bottom corner.
Rafael Benítez threw on Hamšík, José Callejón and Higuaín as the Napoli manager chased an equaliser and Hamšík headed just over with his first intervention. The Serie A side pushed until the end and were caught with an added-time sucker punch. Leonardo Bertone was sent clear on the counter and the substitute wrapped up the points with a nerveless finish past Rafael Cabral.
