FULL TIME: Napoli 2-4 Manchester City
And that’s that! Manchester City qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League. Thing is, Napoli were pretty damn good tonight. They asked City some searching questions. But City were quite brilliant, and had all the answers. On this evidence, they are serious contenders for this year’s Champions League. Napoli, improbably, are in serious danger of crashing out at the group stage.
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90 min +3: Sterling is clipped hard on the ankles by a frustrated Mertens, who is booked. Koulibaly is also booked for arguing, and will miss Napoli’s next match.
GOAL Napoli 2-4 Manchester City (Sterling 90+2)
City score on the break from a Napoli set piece for the second time. The Napoli free kick leads to some pinball in the area. City clear, and flood forward. De Bruyne dribbles down the left, then into the middle, waits, then passes to his right. Sterling glides into the box and slams a shot past Reina and into the bottom left. What a performance this has been by Manchester City!
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90 min +1: Otamendi is booked for a late lunge on Ounas, out on the right. Free kick. From which ...
90 min: City take the free kick short, go for the corner flag, and promptly lose possession. No matter, another attack is launched. David Silva bursts down the left and cuts back for his namesake Bernardo, who blasts over from the edge of the box. There will be four minutes of added time.
89 min: City are running down the clock in a calm, professional style. Insigne, frustrated, clips the back of David Silva’s heels, 25 yards from the Napoli goal, out on the right. Before the free kick can be taken, Gabriel Jesus comes on for Sane.
87 min: David Silva sprays a pass down the left for Sane to run onto. Sane cuts back for Bernardo Silva, who slams a first-time shot towards the bottom right from the edge of the box. Reina is behind it all the way.
85 min: The home fans whistle hard and loud as City knock it back and forth through the centre circle.
84 min: Napoli continue to press forward, but City aren’t letting them anywhere near the final third. The clock is City’s friend.
82 min: Jorginho is replaced by Adam Ounas.
81 min: The exciting Insigne burns down the left, after embarrassing Danilo with a flick over his head combined with on-a-sixpence spin. He then sprays right for Callejon, who combines down the channel with Mertens, before being flagged offside when clear in the area. There really wasn’t much in that at all.
80 min: Sane takes, looking for the top right. He can get the ball up over the wall, but not back down. Though he’s not too far off, the ball only a few inches over the bar.
79 min: Fernandinho has been quietly excellent all evening - it was his ball forward that set Sane scampering upfield for City’s third, for example - and now he dribbles down the middle of the park before drawing a foul on the edge of the Napoli D. Free kick.
77 min: Some more keep-ball by City. The home team, and indeed their vocal support, getting a little frustrated.
75 min: A change by both teams. Marko Rog comes on for Allan. Meanwhile Manchester City’s new all-time record goalscorer, Sergio Aguero, is replaced by Bernardo Silva.
73 min: Insigne dribbles into the City box from the left. He works enough space to get a shot away, what looks like a glorious curler into the top right. Fortunately for City, Otamendi dives in the way to block and head clear. This has been a wonderfully entertaining match. Both of these teams are a credit to the Champions League.
71 min: On the touchline, Guardiola engages the ref in a row about the penalty non-decision. He’s not letting that one go, despite his team taking the lead. Meanwhile David Silva comes on for Gundogan, who has a few more minutes under his belt.
GOAL! Napoli 2-3 Manchester City (Aguero 69)
City break upfield! Sane is romping at great pace towards the Napoli box. It looks like he’ll go all the way, but Hysaj block-tackles him brilliantly. Only problem is, Aguero is just behind the pair. He picks up the ball as it squirts from out of the challenge, makes it to the box himself, and slams a glorious finish into the bottom right! He’s broken Eric Brook’s long-standing record!
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68 min: What a save by Ederson! Mertens comes in from the left, draws three men, and dinks a little diagonal pass to Callejon, coming in from the inside-right. Callejon is clean through and onside. He blasts goalwards, but Ederson somehow deflects the ball over! Wow! And from the corner ...
67 min: A loose Hamsik pass is snaffled by Gundogan on the edge of the Napoli box. Gundogan clips Aguero free. Aguero can’t get a shot away, but he’s well offside.
66 min: City enjoy some more possession in the middle of the park. It’s all accompanied by some wild whistling.
64 min: And then Mertens is sent scampering into a ludicrous amount of space down the left. The flag goes up for offside, but that looked extremely tight. City perhaps a little fortunate, as Mertens would have been free, albeit on the wing from the halfway line.
63 min: Sterling skips past Jorginho down the right, reaches the byline, and crosses into a busy area. The ball pings off the elbow of Hysaj. No penalty, probably because Hysaj was withdrawing his arm and trying to tuck it behind his body. City don’t totally agree with this analysis.
GOAL! Napoli 2-2 Manchester City (Jorginho 62 pen)
A step and a skip, and Jorginho tucks the penalty into the bottom left. No problem! And once again, the pendulum swings. This is some game!
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Penalty to Napoli!
61 min: The corner leads to another. City fail to clear the second, and Sane leaves out a hanging leg for Insigne to go over. It’s a soft one, but it’s a spot kick!
60 min: Insigne shovels a pass down the inside-left channel for Mertens, who flicks inside for Callejon. Stones comes across to hack the ball out for a corner on the left, before the Napoli man can burst into the box. And from the corner ...
58 min: Napoli have cranked up the pressure, so City take the sting out of the game with a little sterile possession in the middle of the park. Clever City.
56 min: More bedlam, as Insigne drops a shoulder to cut in from the left, puts Danilo on his arse, then sends a rising smash towards the top-left corner. Ederson is beaten, but the ball crashes off the crossbar and away.
54 min: Napoli string a few passes together. Mertens threatens to dribble clear down the inside-left channel, but he’s crowded out on the edge of the box. But that’s better from the home side. And their support respond with some trademark bedlam. Napoli desperately need something; their chances of making the knockout stages don’t look too great right now.
52 min: Mertens tries one of his crisp round-the-corner flicks for Allan down the right. But the tricks aren’t coming off any more, the passes failing to stick. Those opening 20-odd minutes seem an awfully long time ago.
50 min: Hamsik and Mertens combine well in the middle of the park, the latter spraying wide left for Insigne. A lot of time and space on the flank for the Napoli man, but there’s no Ghoulam around to support now. The attack peters out.
GOAL! Napoli 1-2 Manchester City (Stones 48)
Sane curls high and hard, onto the head of Stones, 12 yards out Stones smashes a header towards the top left. It bounces off the crossbar, down, over the line, then back out. The linesman isn’t going to give it, but it’s well over the line, and the technology makes sure justice is done. What a header! And the Stadio San Paolo is plunged into miserable silence!
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47 min: A run of determined brilliance by Sterling, who dribbles into the Napoli are from the right, past Koulibaly and Hamsik. He suddenly looks clear on goal! But as he shapes to open his body up and curl into the bottom left, Albiol slides in to block. Corner. From which De Bruyne curls deep from the right to force another corner. And from that one ...
Here we go again! The hosts get the party re-started. No changes. As things stand, City will make it to the knockout stages. Within ten seconds, Callejon curls a low cross into the City box from the right. Ederson claims without too much fuss.
Half-time admin:
HALF TIME: Napoli 1-1 Manchester City
A half of two halves, both teams taking turns to be utterly dominant. It promises to be some second half!
45 min: A glorious dribble down the right by De Bruyne. He’s got options either side, and selects Sterling on his outside. Sterling, perhaps noticing that his team-mate has just located a rich seam of form, tries to return the ball immediately, but the direction’s all out of whack. Napoli were backpedalling in a panic there.
44 min: This is all City. Now it’s Napoli’s turn to chase shadows. The home side can’t keep hold of the ball at all.
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42 min: Sterling turns on the jets and bursts into the Napoli box from the right. He should shoot, but takes another touch, then goes down under a light shove from Hysaj. Sterling demands a penalty, but he’s not getting it for that.
40 min: And now City nearly take the lead! Sterling wedges a pass down the right for Gundogan, who finds himself in space and hooks a cross through the Napoli six-yard box. Otamendi can’t quite run the ball in at the far post. Koulibaly half clears. Stones, from the edge of the area, returns the ball immediately, crashing a header off the bar! Napoli again half-clear their lines, and concede a free kick out on the left. That set piece comes to nothing, but the home side - who looked so confident for so long - suddenly appear in serious need of the half-time whistle!
38 min: Gundogan over-elaborates on the edge of his own box, and nearly lets Mertens free down the inside-right channel. City crowd him out.
36 min: City are suddenly that little bit quicker and sharper. Napoli were first to pretty much everything a few minutes ago. This is a marvellous display of character by City, who looked seriously on the ropes, but refused to buckle and are now right back in this.
GOAL! Napoli 1-1 Manchester City (Otamendi 34)
Gundogan takes a shot from distance. Koulibaly deflects again, and it’s another corner. From this one, the ball’s worked back up the right wing to Gundogan, who loops long. At the far post, rising above Hysaj, is Otamendi ... who plants a header into the top left! City are level, after turning up the tempo in the few minutes since the departure of Ghoulam. They’ve not allowed the rejigged Napoli defence to settle!
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32 min: City so very nearly equalise! De Bruyne bursts down the middle, drifting a little to the right. He feeds Sterling on the outside. Sterling enters the Napoli box and pulls the ball back for Aguero on the penalty spot. Aguero has to shift the ball from under his feet, but works the space to send a snapshot towards the bottom right. It misses by inches, but only after a deflection by Koulibaly. The corner comes to nothing.
30 min: Ghoulam pulled a muscle while stretching for the ball in the attack described on 23 minutes. He’s replaced - after a lot of faffing about - by Maggio. That’s a blow for Napoli; Ghoulam has been superb from the get-go tonight, a constant threat down his wing.
28 min: Aguero is bowled to the ground, 30 yards from goal. The free kick is taken quickly, sending Sane down the left. Sane hooks into the middle, where Aguero has a snapshot from the edge of the box. It’s blocked, but that’s a little better from City, who haven’t got going at all. Small acorns, etc.
27 min: Napoli are getting a lot of joy down this left flank. Insigne makes off along the channel, and loops to the far post, where Mertens battles with Ederson and Otamendi. The ball doesn’t quite drop for the Napoli forward.
25 min: City are getting a little bit irritated. Delph tries to burst down the left but Callejon slides in, winning a tackle and a throw. Delph wants a free kick; he’s not getting it. On the touchline, Guardiola half removes his jacket, perhaps with a view to flinging it to the floor in anger or frustration. He pulls it back on.
23 min: Napoli continue to stroke it around with supreme confidence. Mertens nearly repeats the trick of a couple of minutes ago, flicking a pass down the left channel for Ghoulam. The Napoli left back is crowded out of it. City breathe again. They don’t look secure at the back at all.
GOAL: Napoli 1-0 Manchester City (Insigne 21)
This had been coming. And it was so simple, and perfectly executed. Insigne bursts down the inside-left channel. He flicks inside to Mertens, his back to goal. Mertens returns a flick, around the corner. Insigne has continued to bomb on. He enters the box, opens his body, and curls a powerful finish past Ederson and into the bottom right. That was a picture-book goal.
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19 min: Albiol sprays a long ball down the inside-right channel. Mertens brings it down from the sky, stone dead, then from the edge of the box gently curls it round Ederson and into the bottom left. It’s some finish: the only minor caveat being, he was offside and everyone knew the whistle was about to go.
18 min: Shakhtar are now 2-1 up. And here’s us promising you goals in this match.
17 min: Mertens turns on the jets down the left, a thoroughly confident and in-control run. He slides a pass further down the channel for Insigne, just inside the box. Stones comes across and concedes a corner out on the left. From the set piece, Stones comes to the rescue again, as Ghoulam whips low towards the near post. He hoicks clear.
15 min: It’s already 1-1 between Shakhtar and Feyenoord. City meanwhile are still struggling to retain possession. Napoli in charge right now.
13 min: Hamsik releases Mertens into the City area down the left. Mertens must think he’s offside, because he hesitates slightly. But he’s on. Having paused, he probably should pull back a return to Mertens, but instead he strokes a weak shot straight at Ederson from a tight angle. Hamsik waves his hands in the air. Not happy.
12 min: Mertens tries to float one over Ederson from the left-hand corner of the City box. Not enough purchase. Breaking news: Napoli fans make a lot of noise.
11 min: A glorious backheel by Insigne sets Ghoulam off down the left. He nears the byline and curls low and hard into the centre. The cross is a wee bit aimless, and City hoick it clear. The home fans are enjoying this; their team is on top at the moment, and going for it to boot.
9 min: Napoli are first to nearly everything right now. Insigne makes off down the left, but can’t quite get a cross into the centre, where a few team-mates lurk. Then Hamsik has a dig from a wide position on the same wing. It’s a wild effort. It looks like he’s prepared to take shots on from all positions tonight, Diego Maradona’s Napoli goalscoring record very much in his viewfinder.
8 min: Mertens, preparing to probe down the City left, is unceremoniously blocked by Otamendi. A free kick, 25 yards out, just to the left of goal. Mertens blooters a witless effort straight into the wall. That wasn’t very good.
6 min: Jorginho feeds Hamsik down the middle of the park. Hamsik is in a lot of space, and doesn’t need asking twice: he hammers a shot goalwards from 25 yards. It’s straight at Ederson, though, easy for the keeper.
4 min: This is already a lot of free-wheeling fun. Sane somehow escapes from a thicket of Napoli players out on the City left, a lovely drag and spin. He finds Sterling in the middle; Sterling very nearly bustles his way into the box. Again: not quite. But there’s no way this is going to end goalless. No way.
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2 min: But this is a fast start by these in-form teams. Insigne makes ground down the left and swings a ball into the middle, where Mertens isn’t too far from making serious contact. City were a little light at the back there, but they get away with that one.
And we’re off! City get the ball rolling. Napoli line up in an unambiguous 4-4-2. No doubt that’ll be mixed up soon enough, but it doesn’t half press some old-school buttons. City give up possession soon enough, but after a bit of Napoli probing, City make off up the other end, Sane threatening to work some space just inside the Napoli area to shoot. Not quite; he’s crowded out.
The teams are out! Napoli are in their Gurfo ‘e Napule blue, while City sport their black third kit. Uefa’s Handel-bothering anthem is pumping out of the Stadio San Paolo stereo. We’ll be off in a minute!
Pep Guardiola speaks! “Napoli will be similar tonight, plus they play at home. They will be comfortable in their stadium and with their fans. It is a good challenge for us, to see how we handle it. I have not spoken about the atmosphere, we are focused on what we have to do on the pitch. We have a good squad: Gundogan was a long-term injury, we looked after him, and now we have to give him minutes.”
A couple of all-time club goalscoring records are in danger of falling tonight. Sergio Aguero is looking for the strike that would make him the most prolific forward in Manchester City history. One more, and he’ll best 1936-37 title-winner Eric Brook’s long-standing record of 177. Meanwhile should Marek Hamsik get on the scoresheet, he would equal Diego Maradona’s record 115 mark for Napoli. No small achievements. Memories could be made of this.
Manchester City make four changes to the team sent out to flatten West Brom last weekend. Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Gabriel Jesus drop to the bench, while Danilo, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan and Sergio Aguero make the step up.
Napoli make two changes to the side that went down in Manchester a fortnight ago. Piotr Zielinski and Amadou Diawara are parked on the bench, allowing Allan and Jorginho to take their places in the starting XI.
The teams
Napoli: Reina, Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam, Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik, Callejon, Mertens, Insigne.
Subs: Sepe, Maggio, Zielinski, Chiriches, Rog, Ounas, Diawara.
Manchester City: Ederson, Danilo, Otamendi, Stones, Delph, Sterling, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Sane, De Bruyne, Aguero.
Subs: Bravo, Walker, Mangala, Bernardo Silva, David Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Toure.
Referee: Felix Brych (Germany).
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Welcome to Matchday Four of Group F ...
... which could see Manchester City qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League for the fifth season in a row, should they avoid defeat in the Stadio San Paolo, Naples. Easier said than done, even for in-form City: Napoli have won 15 of their last 23 home fixtures in Europe, and four of their five home games against English clubs.
Yet the bulk of the pressure is on Napoli. Having gone down 2-1 at the City of Manchester Stadium a fortnight ago, and lost by the same scoreline at Shakhtar Donetsk on Matchday One, they desperately need a result here tonight. Their Serie A form will give them succour: they lead the league in Italy, having won ten and drawn one of their first 11 games. Problem is, City are in similarly hot domestic form, topping the Premier League table with nine wins from ten. They’re unbeaten all season, and are currently on a 13-match winning streak, if you count their League Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on penalties, and why wouldn’t you.
So this is a showdown between Europe’s two hottest teams, then. One desperate for a result to revive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage; one desperate to get their qualification wrapped up tonight. It’s too close to call. It promises to be a cracker. It’s on!
Kick off: 7.45pm GMT, 8.45pm in Naples.
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