Marek Hamsik’s stunning solo strike earned Napoli a 1-1 draw away to Besiktas after Nikola Maksimovic’s handball gave away a penalty.
See how it all unfolded on the LIVEBLOG.
Marek Hamsik’s stunning solo strike earned Napoli a 1-1 draw away to Besiktas after Nikola Maksimovic’s handball gave away a penalty.
See how it all unfolded on the LIVEBLOG.
The Turkish side earned a shock 3-2 victory at the Stadio San Paolo two weeks ago, moving to within a point of the group leaders. Manolo Gabbiadini returned after a two-match Serie A ban, but Arkadiusz Milik and Raul Albiol were still injured. The hosts missed Caner Erkin, Anderson Talisca and Necip Uysal, but Gokhan Inler and Atiba Hutchinson started despite not being 100 per cent fit. Dusko Tosic returned to his original left-back position.
Gabbiadini prodded a Faouzi Ghoulam cross straight at the goalkeeper from point-blank range in the opening minute, while Vincent Aboubakar only had the ball in the net after shoving Kalidou Koulibaly aside.
Gabbiadini was again denied by Fabri, this time a one-handed save on his right-foot angled drive after he ran on to a long ball.
Lorenzo Insigne’s curler was charged down and Aboubakar volleyed over at full stretch, but the hosts lost Tosic to a muscular problem early on.
Koulibaly was having a bad start to the game and his terrible header into the ground turned into an assist for Atiba Hutchinson, who somehow only found the outside of the near post from seven yards.
Aboubakar blasted one at Pepe Reina from distance and Insigne mistimed his volley. After the restart, Ghoulam’s dangerous cross-shot was dealt with after some difficulty, but Callejon was sent clear by an inspired Insigne slide-rule pass only to dink his finish over the goalkeeper and wide of the far post.
Inevitably, the insipid Gabbiadini was replaced by Dries Mertens as a False Nine. It made an immediate impact, as Mertens back-heeled a Ghoulam pass for Insigne to curl just over the bar.
Just as Napoli seemed to be piling on the pressure and controlling the game, Aboubakar’s cross struck Nikola Maksimovic on the arm for a penalty. Ricardo Quaresma converted with real power, despite Pepe Reina coming close.
However, captain Hamsik stepped up with a magnificent goal as he surged forward and from 18 yards out unleashed a left-foot screamer that swerved into the far top corner.
Mertens had the chance to win it in stoppages, but his finish was both weak and central from the D. Insigne also curled inches past the far post from the edge of the box.
Besiktas 1-1 Napoli
Quaresma pen 78 (B), Hamsik 82 (N)
Besiktas: Fabri; Beck, Marcelo, Rhodolfo, Tosic (Cenk Tosun 24); Hutchinson, Inler (Oguzhan Ozyakup 66), Tolgay Arslan, Quaresma, Adriano; Aboubakar
Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan (Zielinski 80), Jorginho (Diawara 80), Hamsik; Callejon, Gabbiadini (Mertens 63), Insigne
Ref: Clattenburg (ENG)