Napoli confirmed their extraordinary European campaign with an historic 6-1 victory away to Ajax, as Giacomo Raspadori bagged a brace.
The Partenopei were brimming with confidence after a perfect start to the Champions League and being joint Serie A leaders, even without injured Victor Osimhen. The hosts missed Ahmetcan Kaplan, Jorge Sanchez and former Juventus and Sampdoria player Mohamed Ihattaren, but Mohammed Kudus was on sparkling form with seven goals in 11 games this season.
Giacomo Raspadori fired just wide in the opening minutes after great work from Stanislav Lobotka, but Ajax broke the deadlock with a bizarre goal.
It was a give-and-go between Anthony Taylor and Steven Bergwijn, the wayward shot from the former going in off the leg of Kudus, who knew precious little about it.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia intercepted a poor clearance and his fantastic curler was inches wide of the far top corner, then moments later Mathias Olivera whipped a cross from the left for Raspadori’s diving header at the back post to draw Napoli level.
Kvaratskhelia failed to beat Remko Pasveer one-on-one, but the visitors turned it around from a Kvaratskhelia corner, which found the towering header from captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Piotr Zielinski should’ve made it 3-1 before the break on Chucky Lozano’s cross, but was denied by a desperate save from nine yards and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa fired the rebound over.
The Poland international didn’t make the same mistake twice, springing the offside trap from an Anguissa through ball and beating the on-rushing goalkeeper.
There was a fourth straight after the restart, as the high press saw Ajax make a mistake playing out from the back, Anguissa intercepting to set up Raspadori’s strike. It made Napoli the first Italian side to score over 10 goals in the opening three Champions League group games.
Kvaratskhelia got his debut Champions League goal after a smart one-two with Raspadori, riding a tackle and blasting across the goalkeeper into the far bottom corner from six yards.
Napoli continued to push for more, Pasveer flying to keep out an Amir Rrahmani volley on the Eljif Elmas corner.
Dusan Tadic completed his poor performance with a second yellow card, which means he’ll be suspended for the reverse fixture.
It still wasn’t over, Tanguy Ndombele flicking it on through the middle for Giovanni Simeone to anticipate the defender at full stretch.
Eljif Elmas almost had a seventh, scraping the frame of the goal, then Ndombele’s strike smashed against the underside of the bar.
Ajax 1-6 Napoli
Kudus 9 (A), Raspadori 18, 47 (N), Di Lorenzo 33 (N), Zielinski 45 (N), Kvaratskhelia 63 (N), Simeone 81 (N)
Sent off: Tadic 73 (A)
Wish is was 7-1 maybe in the home game.
Wish is was 7-1 maybe in the home game.
Hats off to Napoli, what a team
For once the donkey is not drunk. Napoli are working wonders considering a lot of their senior players left last season. 6 goals. Heaven forbid if the 7/9 could even hit 4 under their donkey coach.
Are we looking at Treble contenders?
Do you miss me that much? Like mother like son
I love it when a donkey knows her name. I could put out a bat signal and she will always come like a good loyal dog.
Napoli plays best football in Europe at the moment…they were marvelous an example club for al teams in Europe and Italy they way they are run is great for years now hope they win something this years they truly deserve it