Imagining what Napoli are doing at this start of the season, a couple of months ago, it was impossibleand. The only one who did it, perhaps, was Aurelio By Laurentiisthat while the tifosi rebuked him for giving up five starters such as Ospina, Koulibaly, Fabián, Insigne and Mertens, he stated that he would “everything possible to win the scudetto again soon”.
After having won six consecutive wins, the Azzurri, still undefeated this year, endorsed Ajax with a historic 1-6, closing the first round with full victories and 13 goals scored, something never seen for an Italian club in the Champions League. ORA nightmare for the Dutch, who had never conceded six goals at home during a European game. And that they had started great. After just nine minutesKudus took advantage of a combination between Bergwijn and Taylor in the azzurra area and opened the can. It was minute 9, and Ajax’s game basically ended there. Napoli took the ball, resumed play and began a show very similar to the one that destroyed Liverpool on matchday one. Raspadori put the boards throwing himself on the plate before a center by Olivera, Di Lorenzo completed the comeback with a header to a pass from Kvaratskhelia and Zielinski scored the third ending a quick counterattack before the break.
There was not even a hint of reaction from the localswho continued to suffer. Anguissa, tireless, built the 1-4 by stealing Bassey’s wallet and giving in to Raspadori, who scored at the first touch. Kvara, with a thread after one of his arrivals, celebrated his first goal in the Champions League and, after him, Gio Simeone celebrated his secondtaking advantage of a delicious assist from Ndombele, who grazed until the seventh with a shot to the crossbar.
Ajax, totally surrendered, was only seen for his fouls, one of which cost, in minute 74, a well-deserved second yellow card for Tadic. Napoli, meanwhile, enjoyed their best away victory in Europe in a half-empty Cruyff Arena, its best start to the Champions League, and one of the most exciting starts to the season in its history. What Spalletti, Giuntoli and De Laurentiis, so far, is being a masterpiece.
Changes
T. Ndombele (45′, P. Zielinski), E. Elmas (63′, K. Kvaratskhelia), G.Simeone (63′, G. Raspadori), B. Brobbey (71′, S.Berghuis), D. Klaassen (71′, K.Taylor), G. Gaetano (79′, S. Lobotka), F. Grillitsch (79′, J.Timber), A. Zanoli (83′, G. Di Lorenzo), yuri baas (83′, D.Rensch)
goals
1-0, 8′: Mohammed Kudus1-1, 17′: Giacomo Raspadori1-2, 32′: Di Lorenzo1-3, 44′: Zielinsky1-4, 46′: Giacomo Raspadori1-5, 62′: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia1-6, 80′: Giovanni Simeon
cards
Referee: Francois Letexier
VAR Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski, Benoît Millot
Giacomo Raspadori (20′, Yellow) Spalletti (26′, Yellow) Jurrien Mature (29′, Yellow) tadic (37′, Yellow) tadic (72′, Red) Mohammed Kudus (90′, Yellow)
| Group A | PT | pjs | GP | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| two | 6 | 3 | two | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | two |
| 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Group A | PT | pjs | GP | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| two | 6 | 3 | two | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | two |
| 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |