Napoli closing in on Roma

Posted Tuesday, February 24, 2015 by Foxsports.com

Napoli moved to within three points of second-placed Roma in Serie A thanks to a 2-0 win over Sassuolo on Monday evening.

Duvan Zapata and Marek Hamsik scored the goals for Rafael Benitez's men, who ended the game with only 10 men with substitute Dries Mertens shown a red card.

The win means Napoli can move above Roma next Sunday when they face Torino, before the Giallorossi host Juventus on Monday.

Paolo Cannavaro was making his return to his home-town club, whom he represented for eight years up to 2014, but it proved to be a bitter return to the Stadio San Paolo for the 33-year-old.

Injury forced him to leave the field midway through the first half, and he was already the second Sassuolo player to leave the action prematurely after Luca Antei had limped off after 11 minutes.

Napoli did not make the most of Sassuolo's misfortune, though, and apart from three late chances, the first half concluded without goals and with very little danger.

Zapata, Hamsik and Jose Callejon were guilty of those late misses while Zapata wasted another early in the second half.

Sassuolo showed a brief sign of life when Antonio Floro Flores set up Domenico Berardi, but his shot was saved by Mariano Andujar.

From that moment on, Sassuolo started to construct the barricades, but they were breached in the 61st minute when Zapata got lucky with one rebound before dispatching his second effort.

Hamsik made it two for Napoli nine minutes later when Mertens, on for Manolo Gabbiadini, sent the ball in for Zapata, who laid it off for the Slovakian to put the result beyond doubt.

Mertens then had a rush of blood to the head to earn a red card only five minutes after taking to the field as a substitute, for a dangerous tackle on Simone Missiroli from behind.

Sassuolo tried to respond with Andujar making a fine save from Francesco Magnanelli, while coach Eusebio Di Francesco sent Dejan Lazarevic on for Saphir Taider.

It did not herald anything, though, as Napoli held on to their advantage and almost added a third late on when Jonathan de Guzman wasted a good opportunity.