Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.)
- San Paolo Stadium - Naples
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento
Attendance: 48000
HT: Napoli pummel Juve!
Nov 29, 2011
Napoli are leading Juventus 2-0 at half-time despite missing a penalty thanks to Marek Hamsik and Goran Pandev.
This match was rescheduled from November 6 due to flooding, but both teams had to reshuffle. Edinson Cavani missed out due to a cut ankle, so Ezequiel Lavezzi moved forward with support from Goran Pandev and Marek Hamsik. Claudio Marchisio was suspended for Juventus, so Marcelo Estigarribia was given his first start in a new 3-5-2 system.
Stephan Lichtsteiner’s deflected cross found Mirko Vucinic in plenty of space, but he pulled the angled drive across the face of goal.
Lavezzi sprinted down the left to the by-line where he was felled by a mistimed Andrea Pirlo sliding tackle. Hamsik converted and was already well into his celebrations when the referee ordered it retaken due to encroachment. The distraction clearly affected Hamsik, who blazed the retake over the bar!
The Slovak did get his goal soon after, though, as a Lavezzi free kick was knocked down by Christian Maggio for Hamsik’s diving header from point-blank range. He was marginally offside when the free kick was first floated in, but as he only made contact in the second phase of the move, it didn’t count.
Pandev dispossessed Pirlo in midfield for a shot just about blocked by Gigi Buffon, then Lavezzi got to the by-line only for Pandev to clumsily blast wide. At the other end, Estigarribia fired at the near post rather than cross for Simone Pepe, forcing a simple Morgan De Sanctis save.
Arturo Vidal went on the counter and was tackled with great vigour by Salvatore Aronica, but the referee waved play on. The tension got to Juve, as Leonardo Bonucci and Alessandro Matri were both booked for dissent.
Napoli doubled their lead before the break, as a clearance was deflected off a Juventus player into the path of Pandev, who was quick to react and placed his shot across Buffon with his weaker right foot.
Tension was sky high, but Hamsik risked big when shoving Lichtsteiner in the back and giving a little kick when he was down. They were both booked for the scuffle that ensued.
Napoli 2-0 Juventus (Half-Time)
Scorers: Hamsik 23 (N), Pandev 40 (N)
Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Zuniga; Hamsik, Pandev; Lavezzi
Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Pirlo, Vidal; Estigarribia, Pepe, Matri, Vucinic
Ref: Tagliavento
Missed penalty: Hamsik 15 (N)
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