Napoli 4-2 Sampdoria
Sampdoria went up early in the 12th minute as Eder Martins received a wonderful ball to send him down the right flank. His attempt to slide across the goal was foiled by Rual Albiol through a sliding challenge, but that challenge guided the ball into the back of the net instead.
Napoli fought their way back into the match with some great team passing from the midfield down to the top of the box in the 31st minute. Manolo Gabbiadini recived a great first touch pass from Gonzalo Higuain. He turned with the ball and struck it, though not very hard. The keeper made a huge mistake allowing the ball to force its way through his hands and under his legs. A big unforced error there.
Napoli capitalized on the momentum built from the goal and took the lead in the 34th minute. This time, Gabbiadini set up Higuain on a great 1-2 play around defenders. Higuain set up his shot and placed it wonderfully into the bottom corner of the far post.
Napoli were ruthless! In the 47th minute, Lorenzo Insigne intercepted a pass near the midfield. He attacked the goal and had options on either side of him, but he decided to strike it and what a strike it was finding its way to the bottom right corner like a laser. No chance at all for the keeper. Must not have been his day.
Tears of joy filled Insignes eyes as he celebrated his second goal of the season with his teammates.
To make matters worse, Sampdoria conceded a penalty in the 81st minute. Marek Hamsik was brought down after cutting a defender in the box. Higuain stepped up to hit the penalty. Although the keeper dove the right way, Higuains shot was too strong and too well placed for the keeper to save.
Sampdoria gained a consolation goal in the 89th minute as Samuel Eto’o tried to show some skill atop the box and take defenders, but the ball was tapped away from him and to Luis Muriel who unleashed a cracker of shot firing into the top right corner. What a stunner it was, but overshadowed by the score of the match.
Napoli extend their lead over Sampdoria to six points. Their form throughout the season was been inconsistent, but none the less, they have been well. They are just two points behind third place Roma and are out on the hunt for a spot in the Champions League. Consistency will be key in heading into the end of the season.
As for Sampdoria, they sit just one point above Fiorentina, who lost 3-1 to Cagliari, and two points above Genoa and Torino, who handed Juventus their third loss of the season. Consistency will also be key for this side if the want a Europa League birth.
