Europa League, Spartak Moscow-Naples 2-1
THE CHRONICLE
in a match of the group stage of the Europa League (group C) played in Moscow, under a light snowfall.
Sobolev double for the Russian team in the first half, with the home team ahead already in the third minute thanks to a penalty whistled for a foul by Lobotka on Promes.
For Napoli Elmas headed in the 19 'of a second half played all in attack, but without being able to reach a draw. Spartak has thus hooked the Azzurri at the head of the group with 7 points and everything will be decided on the last day.
Defeat without extenuating circumstances for Napoli who loses against Spartak Moscow, gets caught up in the rankings by the Russians and looks with apprehension at the challenge between Leicester and Legia Warsaw which could at least temporarily put Spalletti's team out of the game in qualifying for the round of 32 in Europe League. The many absences justify only in part the performance of the Azzurri against a decidedly inferior opponent on a technical level.
'' We are not looking for excuses, we lost due to our own demerit but the team's attitude seemed correct to me. There were opportunities to score goals. '' Luciano Spalletti is resigned to the defeat that jeopardizes Napoli's access to the 16 / i of the Europa League. '' We tried to recover the ball quickly. After the 2-0 - he explains at the press conference - everything became more difficult. In the second half the boys were more orderly but Spartak closed well on the edge of the area. Finding the spaces was difficult ''. The coach also explains why at the end of the match he refused to shake hands with Rui Vitoria, manager of Spartak Moscow. '' He didn't come to say hello before the game. We say goodbye - Spalletti says - at the beginning, not at the end.We were 10 meters away. In the first leg, I was looking for him on the bench and he was on the side foul line. At home you say goodbye at the start of the race and welcome you ''. '' I hope to recover some players soon to be able to make substitutions. There are positive news - adds the Neapolitan coach -. I am not afraid of playing games. In the second half in the strait we also played very well, there were many shots on goal. We could have been more careful to avoid that goal early in the game. I made some offensive choices right from the start because I thought I could put it right away. '' '' I put Mario Rui as the midfielder - Spalletti continues - because Lobotka struggled a bit. Fabian Ruiz I let him rest, he had a little problem.It would have done 10 minutes, but the risk of getting hurt was there. The answers are positive, we have seen the reaction of the team and when he behaves like this it is difficult to write down something. We lost not because we missed this or that, we had the team to win it. We lost it but her attitude seemed correct to me. '' '' Returning to Russia - concludes the Napoli coach - is always a pleasure. My daughter Matilde was born in Russia, I consider it my second home ''.the attitude of the seemed correct to me ''. '' Returning to Russia - concludes the Napoli coach - is always a pleasure. My daughter Matilde was born in Russia, I consider it my second home ''.the attitude of the seemed correct to me ''. '' Returning to Russia - concludes the Napoli coach - is always a pleasure. My daughter Matilde was born in Russia, I consider it my second home ''.
64 'GOAL! Spartak Moscow 2-1 NAPLES.
Eljif Elmas network. Petagna wins the ball on the right side and crosses from the outside to the center for an easy header by Elmas who shortens the result a few steps from the goal.
28 'GOAL! SPARTAK MOSCOW-Naples 2-0.
Aleksandr Sobolev network. Moses receives on the right wing carrying the ball forward, then the winger dribbles Mario Rui and puts in the center for the winning header by Sobolev who signs the brace.
3 'GOAL! SPARTAK MOSCOW-Naples 1-0
. Goal from a penalty by Aleksandr Sobolev. The twenty-four-year-old striker hits Meret's left right which is displaced by the ball's trajectory for the advantage of Spartak.
OFFICIAL FORMATIONS.
3-5-2 for Spartak Moscow: Selikhov;
Caufriez, Dzhikiya, Gigot;
Ayrton, Ignatov, Umyarov, Litvinov, Moses;
Sobolev, Promes.
Herds Rui Vitoria.
4-2-3-1 for Napoli: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Koulibaly, Jesus, Mario Rui, Lobotka, Zielinski, Lozano, Mertens, Elmas, Petagna.
Herds Spalletti.