Gonzalo Higuain pounced on a defensive howler deep into stoppages for Napoli to knock Inter out of the Coppa Italia.
The winners go on to face Lazio in the two-legged semi-finals and the teams went in with very different moods. The Nerazzurri were 13th in the Serie A table after a series of dreadful results, while the Partenopei had won three on the bounce.
Gonzalo Higuain pounced on a defensive howler deep into stoppages for Napoli to knock Inter out of the Coppa Italia.
The winners go on to face Lazio in the two-legged semi-finals and the teams went in with very different moods. The Nerazzurri were 13th in the Serie A table after a series of dreadful results, while the Partenopei had won three on the bounce.
Davide Santon and Marcelo Brozovic were thrown straight into the XI along with 18-year-old striker George Puscas getting his first start. Trophy holders Napoli surprisingly moved Kalidou Koulibaly to right-back.
Higuain went for goal on the counter when he should’ve passed, then nodded over from a brilliant Marek Hamsik cross. Yet Inter nearly scored after 13 minutes when Mauro Icardi’s snapshot smacked against the base of the near post.
Xherdan Shaqiri’s curler was comfortably held and Hamsik blasted over from a free kick and Juan Pablo Carrizo blocked off Higuain’s shot from point-blank range after Andrea Ranocchia had been shoved aside.
Napoli had a fantastic chance when Hamsik went on the counter and his rocket was beaten away by Carrizo, but the goalkeeper managed to scramble it back under control before Higuain could pounce thanks also to Gary Medel.
There was another huge miss from the hosts when Kalidou Koulibaly volleyed over from six yards on a smart Miguel Angel Britos header back.
Andujar needed a great one-handed reaction save to palm a Puscas effort out from under the bar following a smart Icardi flick. Hernanes also saw his shot deflected out for a corner, David Lopez volleyed wide and De Guzman fired straight at Carrizo.
Just as extra time seemed inevitable for the second round in a row for Napoli, the holders found the breakthrough. It was a quick Faouzi Ghoulam throw-in that caught Ranocchia by surprise, so Higuain kept his cool to curl the finish across Carrizo into the far top corner.
Napoli 1-0 Inter
Scorers: Higuain 93 (N)
Napoli: Andujar; Koulibaly, Albiol, Britos, Strinic; Gargano, David Lopez; Callejon (Mertens 72), Hamsik (Gabbiadini 75), De Guzman (Ghoulam 84); Higuain
Inter: Carrizo; Nagatomo, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Santon (Dodo 85); Brozovic, Medel, Hernanes (Guarin 73); Shaqiri; Icardi, Puscas
Ref: Massa