By Anna Italia
Follow me @ItalianSerieA
48% Ball Possession NAPOLI and 52% Ball Possession AC MILAN
Napoli 3 – 1 AC Milan
11′ Gokhan Inler 7′ Adel Taarabt
56′ Gonzalo Higuain
82′ Gonzalo Higuain
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Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
Napoli, 3rd position with 44 points and a positive goal difference of +18
AC Milan, 10th position with 29 points and a positive goal difference of +3
Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | Diff. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Napoli | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 44:26 | 18 | 44 |
10 | Milan | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 35:32 | 3 | 29 |
On Week 4 game ending: AC Milan 1 – 2 Napoli
AC Milan surprising Napoli at the San Paolo Stadium by opening the score in the 7th minute. Great debut for midfielder Adel Taarabat by scoring his first goal with Milan with a right footed shot defeating Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina despite his stretch to the bottom right corner.
Napoli equalizing the score in the 11th minute with midfielder Gokhan Inler scoring his second goal of the season, the assist by Jorginho Frello. Inler defeating AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati with a left footed shot in the bottom right corner.
Referee Massa giving the first yellow card of the match in the 22nd minute to AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati for a foul while anticipating on Napoli midfielder Dries Mertens. Free kick for Napoli perfectly saved by Abbiati.
Napoli taking the lead in the 56th minute with forward Gonzalo Higuain defeating goalkeeper Abbiati with a headed shot after the assist by Inler.
AC Milan making a substitution in the 73rd minute. Forward Giampaolo Pazzini replacing forward Mario Balotelli. Closeup showing Balotelli in tears trying to cover his face with his jacket.
Higuain having a rocking time! In the 82nd minute, there you go the assist by midfielder Jose Maria Callejon. Desolation for goalkeeper Abbiati defeated by Higuain with a right footed shot in the bottom left corner. Immediately, Higuain running to celebrate and the fans going wild.
In the 83rd minute, Napoli with a substitution replacing midfielder Marek Hamsik with midfielder Valon Behrami.
Benitez replacing Gokhan Inler in the 89th minute with midfielder Blerim Dzemaili. Inler leaving the pitch among the ovation of the fans.
Here is NAPOLI official starting lineup by coach Rafael Benitez:
NAPOLI: Reina; Maggio, Fernandez, Albiol, Ghoulam;
Inler, Jorginho; Mertens, Hamsik, Insigne; Higuain.
Here is AC MILAN official starting lineup by coach Clarence Seedorf:
AC MILAN: Abbiati; De Sciglio, Rami, Mexes, Emanuelson;
De Jong, Essien; Abate, Taarabt, Robinho; Balotelli.
Disciplinary Situation: No suspended player for NAPOLI
1 suspended player for AC MILAN: Daniele Bonera
Stats are even for Napoli and AC Milan for games in Naples (three neutral places) with a total of 75 games:
27 wins Napoli
21 draws
27 wins AC Milan
84 goals Napoli
90 goals AC Milan
Last victory of Napoli at the San Paolo against Milan on 18 September 2011 with a 3-1.
The last draw on November 7, 2012 ending with a 2-2.
Last time AC Milan defeated Napoli at the San Paolo was on October 25, 2010 with a 1-2 result.
Stats AFTER the game. Top scorer for NAPOLI: Forward Gonzalo Higuain with 12 goals
Top scorer for AC MILAN: Forward Mario Balotelli with 9 goals
Napoli | Goals | Goals | AC Milan |
---|---|---|---|
Higuain, Gonzalo | 12 | 9 | Balotelli, Mario |
Callejon | 9 | 5 | Kaka |
Hamsik, Marek | 6 | 4 | Muntari, Sulley |
Pandev, Goran | 6 | 3 | Robinho |
Mertens, Dries | 5 | 2 | Montolivo, Riccardo |
Stats. Here are the last 3 games of NAPOLI: 1 win, 2 lost
05/02/14 | CI | Roma – Napoli |
3:2 | Semifinal |
02/02/14 | SA | Atalanta – Napoli |
3:0 | Round 22 |
29/01/14 | CI | Napoli – Lazio |
1:0 | Quarterfinal |
Here are the last 3 games of AC MILAN: 1 win, 1 lost, 1 draw,
01/02/14 | SA | Milan – Turin |
1:1 | Round 22 |
26/01/14 | SA | Cagliari – Milan |
1:2 | Round 21 |
22/01/14 | CI | Milan – Udinese |
1:2 | Quarterfinal |
Click the video to watch the highlights of the game, NAPOLI vs AC MILAN, Saturday 8 February 2014, San Paolo Stadium, Naples, Italy, Serie A Week 23
Click the video to watch the commentaries from DIRETTA STADIO by Tiziano Crudelli on Napoli – AC Milan
Click the video to watch AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli crying on the bench when replaced in the 73rd minute with forward Giampaolo Pazzini
AC Milan Coach Clarence Seedorf encouraging the players
Seedorf attempting a change in the result by replacing forward Robinho with Kaka in the 45th minute
Photo sscnapoli.it
Final laugh is for Napoli coach Rafael Benitez after winning the game leaving AC Milan only frustrated
Napoli 3 – 1 AC Milan
Saturday 8 February 2014
San Paolo Stadium
Naples, Italy
20:45
Referee: MASSA
Assistants: MELI – MANGANELLI
Fourth Official: VUOTO
ADD1: DAMATO
ADD2: CELI
Attendance:
Goals: 7′ Adel Taarabt (M), 11′ Gokhan Inler (N), 56′ Gonzalo Higuain (N), 82′ Gonzalo Higuain (N)
Official formations – lineups:
NAPOLI: Reina; Maggio, Fernandez, Albiol, Ghoulam;
Inler, Jorginho; Mertens, Hamsik, Insigne; Higuain.
Subs:
Rafael, Colombo, Uvini, Henrique, Britos, Behrami, Dzemaili, Radosevic,
Pandev, Callejon, Zapata.
Coach: Rafa Benitez.
AC MILAN: Abbiati; De Sciglio, Rami, Mexes, Emanuelson;
De Jong, Essien; Abate, Taarabt, Robinho; Balotelli.
Subs:
Amelia, Gabriel, Constant, Silvestre, Zaccardo, Montolivo, Poli,
Muntari, Saponara, Kakà, Petagna, Pazzini.
Coach: Clarence Seedorf.
Napoli 3 – 1 AC Milan 20:45 Referee: MASSA |
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Napoli | Match Stats |
AC Milan |
3 | Goals | 1 |
27 (14) | Shots (on goal) | 8 (6) |
10 | Fouls | 17 |
5 | Corner kicks | 0 |
0 | Offsides | 5 |
48% | Ball Possession | 52% |
3 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
0 | Red Cards | 0 |
5 | Saves | 11 |
What do you think of the results? Which players surprised you or disappointed you and why?