Bayern Munich 3 – SSC Napoli 2

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Brazil international midfielder LUIZ GUSTAVO (30) of Bayern Munich, the versatile 24-year-old who delivered the last-gasp goal to defeat Vfl Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga earlier this season, keeps one step ahead of SSC Napoli’s Switzerland international midfielder BLERIM DZEMAILI (20) during the critial UEFA Champions League Group A match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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November 2, 2011
UEFA Champions League
Group A, Matchday # 4

3 – BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) ——— Gomez 17′, 23′, 42′
2 – SSC NAPOLI (Ita) ——————– Fernandez 45′, 79′

After storming to a seemingly-insurmountable first half lead, the hosts were forced to battle down the hatches at the back a bit after the break but, nevertheless, German Bundelsiga leaders BAYERN MUNICH managed to hold off visiting Italian Serie A side SSC NAPOLI 3-2 and, significantly, collect all three points in the important UEFA Champions League Group A match.

“Super” MARIO GOMEZ, who currently leads the Bundesliga with 12 goals this term, turned sharply with a ball from Germany Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER, skillfully slipped past Argentine defender HUGO CAMPAGNARO and smashed a left-footer past Italy international goalkeeper MORGAN DE SANCTIS for the all-important opening tally in the 17th minute. The 26-year-old Germany international striker gave Bayern Munich a firm grip on the game when youthful Germany international midfielder TONI KROOS chipped an inviting, diagonal ball into the box a scant six minutes later. A leaping Gomez re-directed past the defenseless De Sanctis to leave the visitors trailing by a pair after just 23 minutes of play.

A third strike from Gomez for Bayern Munich three minutes before halftime appeared to be lights out for SSC Napoli. France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY found Kroos in the box smartly and, although De Sanctis got down to make the intial save, last season’s Bundesliga Torjaegermeister was on hand to sweep the ball home for his sixth goal in the UEFA Champions League this season. In all competitions, ‘Super Mario’ has now scored 19 goals for Bayern Munich this term.

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Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER of Bayern Munich is transported by stadium medical staff via stretcher into the dressing room at the Allianz Arena in Bavaria after breaking his collarbone in the second half of the Champions League clash with visiting Italian Serie A side SSC Napoli.
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SSC Napoli gave themselves some hope just before the halftime whistle with a set piece just outside the area on the left, however; after two Bayern Munich defenders had collided in front, Argentina international centerback FEDERICO FERNANDEZ was entirely free to head home the free kick from Argentina international winger EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI.

Bayern suffered a serious blow when the influential Schweinsteiger was carted off in the second half with a broken collarbone. The 27-year-old Germany international did have the damage surgically repaired and is expected to be out of action for six weeks. The impact of the loss of such a world-class ball-winner as well as defensively responsible player was immediately evident for Bayern Munich and appeared to shock trainer JUPP HEYCKNES’ team somewhat.

It looked as if a break had come the Bavarians way when SSC Napoli’s Colombia international wingback JUAN ZUNIGA acquired two quick yellow cards and went off in the 70th minute but this was offset when Germany international defender HOLGER BADSTUBER of Bayern Munich saw his second yellow just seven minutes later.

SSC Napoli would give the home fans a scare shortly thereafter. Fernandez found the back of the net for a second time after beating Belgium international defender DANIEL VAN BUYTEN to a long free kick from Switzerland World Cup midfielder GOKHAN INLER at the back post. A looping header from the 22-year-old Napoli defender left Bayern Munich’s Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER no chance in the 79th minute.

The Bavarians did succeed in slamming the door shut, though, and Gomez nearly notched a fourth goal for the evening after the Italian goalkeeper had come forward in the closing stages. A long-range effort by the Bayern Munich striker from behind his own midfield stripe rolled threatenly towards the empty net before a hustling De Sanctis slid, at the very last moment, to clear the ball away. High marks to the SSC Napoli shot-stopper for the never-say-die attitude on full parade.

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As Germany World Cup left back and Bayern Munich club captain PHILIPP LAHM (21) inspects the damage to France World Cup winger and Bundesliga colleague FRANCK RIBERY, Colombia international right back JUAN ZUNIGA (18) of Italian Serie A side SSC Napoli smiles upon receiving his marching orders from Dutch referee BJOERN KUIPERS after a second yellow card during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Boateng, van Buyten, Badstuber, Lahm – Luiz Gustavo, Schweinsteiger (Tymoshchuk 53′) – Mueller, Kroos, Ribery – Gomez

SSC NAPOLI : De Sanctis – Campagnaro, Fernandez, Aronica (Dossena (42′) – Maggio, Dzemaili (Pandev 84′), Inler, Zuniga – Hamsik, Lavezzi – Cavani

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SSC Napoli 1 – Bayern Munich 1

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Bayern Munich’s Germany international defensive pair of club captain PHILIPP LAHM and HOLGER BADSTUBER (28) clamp down on SSC Napoli’s Slovakia World Cup attacker MAREK HAMSIK (17) during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Stadio San Paolo in southern Italy.
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October 18, 2011
UEFA Champions League
Group A, Matchday # 3

1 – SSC NAPOLI (Ita) ———————– own goal 39′
1 – BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) ———— Kroos 2′

Yet another lightning fast strike would be canceled out by an unfortunate own goal allowed while a second half penalty save saw to it that visiting Bundesliga giant BAYERN MUNICH were held to a 1-1 draw by stubborn Serie A host SSC Napoli in Group A of the UEFA Champions League.

Youthful Germany international TONI KROOS gave Bayern Munich a fast start before two minutes had even been played. The 21-year-old midfielder did well to control a ball from Germany international defender JEROME BOATENG and advanced to calmly stroke past SSC Napoli’s Italy international goalkeeper MORGAN DE SANCTIS, stunning the partisan home crowd in the process. A second goal in the Champions League for Kroos, then, who has yet to score a goal for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this term.

Bayern, who would ultimately outshoot their hosts 10-2 according the official UEFA Champions League website, continued to press in the opening session but did not pad their lead, thanks in part to the work of De Sanctis. This proved to be most costly when Germany international defender HOLGER BADSTUBER inadvertently turned a ball from SSC Napoli wingback CHRISTIAN MAGGIO into his own Bayern Munich net in the 39th minute. The goal conceded also stopped the consecutive scoreless streak of Bayern Munich’s Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER at 1,147 minutes in all competitions — the equivalent of 12 and 3/4 matches.

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Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER (1) of Bayern Munich had his 12-game shutout streak snapped by home team but but also did not allow a goal by SSC Napoli’s Uruguay World Cup striker EDINSON CAVANI (left), the second-leading scorer with 26 goals in Serie A last season who failed to increase his tally for the first time in three UEFA Champions League matches this season for his Italian employers.
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In-form Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ had a golden opportunity to restore Bayern Munich’s advantage from the spot shortly after the halftime break. SSC Napoli captain PAOLO CANNAVARO had been whistled for handball after leaping into the air to block a shot from outside the box by the reigning Bundesliga Torjaegermeister. But De Sanctis, clearly the Man of the Man on the evening, guessed correctly and dove to his left to easily smother the penalty kick of Gomez.

Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER led a late rush for Bayern Munich but failed to better utilize Gomez to his left and ultimately rolled a weak shot that comfortably saved by the Napoli savior De Sanctis with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

Nevertheless, the result meant that Bayern Munich still left southern Italy with a share of the spoils and continues to lead Group A of the UEFA Champions League by two points (ahead of SSC Napoli) after three matches contested.

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Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ (33) of Bayern Munich, the reigning Bundesliga Torjaegermeister and current leading scorer with 10 goals in the German top flight this season, reacts after having his second half spot kick saved as SSC Napoli players rush to congratulate their goalkeeper during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Stadio San Paolo in southern Italy.
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SSC NAPOLI : De Sanctis – Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica – Maggio, Gargano, Inler (Santana 90′), Zuniga – Hamsik (Mascara 90+2′), Lavezzi – Cavani

BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Boateng, van Buyten, Badstuber, Lahm – Tymoshchuk, Schweinsteiger – Mueller, Kroos, Ribery (Alaba 90′) – Gomez (Luiz Gustavo 90+4′)

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SSC Napoli : Spieler Bericht 2011/12

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Uruguay World Cup striker EDINSON CAVANI (7), the 24-year-old for whom southern Italian side SSC NAPOLI agreed to pay 16.0 million Euros to US Palermo in July of 2010, finished second in all of Serie A with 26 goals and also added another seven strikes in the UEFA Europa League last season.
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Italian side SSC NAPOLI will look to lift their spirits having dropped a disappointing 2-1 decision at the Stadio San Paolo this past Saturday to visiting FC Parma. Trainer WALTER MAZZARRI’s team currently stand fifth in the Serie A table having taken ten points from their first six league contests and are tied for tops having shot ten goals. Napoli have also claimed one victory and one draw thus far in Group A of the UEFA Champions League.

Uruguay World Cup striker EDINSON CAVANI spearheads the Napoli attack and has scored three goals in the Italian first division and two more in the Champions League this term. Denying the dangerous Cavani the ball will be key for the defense of Bayern Munich. Playing just behind the solitary striker are Slovakia World Cup midfielder MAREK HAMSIK, the 24-year-old bought from Brescia for 5.5 million Euros in the summer of 2007 who was the second-leading scorer for Napoli last season with 11 goals in Serie A, and Argentina international winger EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI, the 26-year-old who has tallied 30 goals in 131 Serie A games since arriving for a transfer fee of 6.0 million Euros from then-Clasura champion club San Lorenzo of Buenos Aires in the summer of 2007.

Napoli will be without the services of 28-year-old Macedonia international striker GORAN PANDEV, who was injured in the impressive 3-0 defeat of Inter Milan away at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in the Italian Alps; Pandev is, of course, out on loan from Inter Milan to Napoli for this season.

GIUSEPPE MASCARA, the 32-year-old veteran with exactly one international cap for Italy in his journeyman career, registered his first goal of the season after coming off the bench in the loss to Parma last Saturday. Aging 36-year-old dinosaur CRISTIANO LUCARELLI and 24-year-old Argentine striker CRISTIAN CHAVEZ, a summer acquisition costing 900,000 Euros from San Lorenzo this summer, have each made but a solitary substitute appearance in Serie A thus far this term.

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Switzerland World Cup midfielder GOKHAN INLER (88) of SSC Napoli, the seasoned 27-year-old with 50 caps for die Schweiz who was purchased from Udinese this past summer for a reported 12.0 million Euros, focuses on the ball as FC Parma midfielder SEBASTIAN GIOVINCO falls to the turf during the mid-October Serie A match at the Stadio San Paolo in southern Italy.
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Napoli spent good money to sign Switzerland World Cup midfielder GOKHAN INLER from Udinese this summer and he and 27-year-old Uruguay World Cup midfielder WALTER GARGANO have been important men in the middle of the park for the trainer Mazzarri.

BLERIM DZEMAILI, who was a member of Switzerland’s 2006 World Cup contingent, was purchased from FC Parma this summer for the transfer fee of 7.5 million Euros but the 25-year-old has yet to make much of an impression in midfield; 29-year-old Argentina international midfielder MARIO SANTANA, who arrived in the south this summer on a free transfer from AS Fiorentina, is another who has played sparingly. 28-year-old MARCO DONADEL, who won a bronze medal with Italy at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, also came at no cost from Fiorentina but has been severely hampered by injures thus far.

The two regular wingbacks in Napoli’s system have mostly featured 30-year-old Italy international ANDREA DOSSENA, who was added from English Premier League club FC Liverpool for a transfer fee of 4.25 million Euros in January of 2010, on the left and 29-year-old Italy World Cup squad member CHRISTIAN MAGGIO on the right; also in the mix at either position has been 25-year-old Colombia international JUAN ZUNIGA, who has made three starts in Serie A.

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Veteran club captain PAOLO CANNAVARO of SSC Napoli (28), who made 18 appearances for the Italy U-21 national team once upon a time but has never been called up by the senior Azzurri side, battles for the ball with Inter Milan’s Italy World Cup striker GIAMPAOLO PAZZINI during the Serie A match at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on the first day of this October.
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30-year-old club captain PAOLO CANNAVARO is a product of the Napoli youth system who spent seven seasons on the books at FC Parma before returning in 2006. 31-year-old Argentine HUGO CAMPAGNARO is a veteran of Italian football who transferred from Sampdoria of Genoa for a fee of 7.0 million Euros in the summer of 2009. 33-year-old journeyman SALVATORE ARONICA is the eldest of the three center backs routinely employed by Mazzarri and with his seventh club since turning professional with FC Juventus Turin in 1996.

Napoli bought Uruguayan MIGUEL BRITOS from FC Bologna this summer for the respectable fee of 9.0 million Euros but the 26-year-old defender has yet to appear on account of injury. The club also invested a reported 3.3 million Euros in 22-year-old Argentina defender FEDERICO FERNANDEZ formerly of Estudiantes de La Plata as well as a further 2.2 million Euros on yet another Argentine, IGNACIO FIDELEFF from Newell’s Old Boys. Fideleff has made two starts for Napoli in Serie A already while Fernandez has made three appearances altogether in the Italian top flight.

Another aging veteran, 34-year-old GIANLUCA GRAVA, and 28-year-old LEANDRO RINAUDO, who returned to Napoli after a year out on loan to FC Juventus of Turin, are also on hand to bolster the backline if needed.

34-year-old MORGAN DE SANCTIS, who sat the bench for Italy in the recent Euro ’12 qualifier versus Northern Ireland, is the clear first choice between the sticks for SSC Napoli. Still, the club did spend 2.9 million Euros in the off-season to bring in 28-year-old ANTONIO ROSATI from US LEECE to provide same cover. And 36-year-old ROBERTO COLOMBO, who signed this summer free of charge from US Triestina, is available as the emergency third-string goalkeeper.

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Well-traveled Italy international goalkeeper MORGAN DE SANCTIS, who spent one season each with FC Sevilla in Spain and SK Galatasaray Istanbul in Turkey, respectively, before signing for SSC Napoli in the summer of 2009, has started all 82 Serie A matches for the Naples club since his 1.5 million Euro transfer.
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SSC NAPOLI
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Arriving
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gk – Antonio ROSATI —————————————- fr US Leece
gk – Roberto COLOMBO ———————————— fr US Triestina
df – Miguel BRITOS – Uruguay ————————- fr FC Bologna
df – Leandro RINAUDO ————————————- fr FC Juventus
df – Federico FERNANDEZ – Argentina int’l —— fr Estudiantes de La Plata (Arg)
df – Ignacio FIDELEFF – Argentina ——————– fr Newell’s Old Boys (Arg)
mf – Gokhan INLER – Switzerland int’l ————– fr Udinese
mf – Blerim DZEMAILI – Swtizerland int’l ——— fr FC Parma
mf – Mario SANTANA – Argentina int’l ————- fr AC Fiorentina
mf – Marco DONADEL ————————————— fr AC Fiorentina
mf – Luca CIGARINI —————————————– fr FC Sevilla (Spa)
mf – Mariano BOGLIACINO – Uruguay ————- fr AC Chievo Verona
mf – Samuele DALLA BONA —————————— fr Atalanta Bergamo
mf – Nicolas AMODIO – Uruguay ———————- fr Portogruaro Summaga
mf – Lorenzo INSIGNE ————————————– fr US Foggia
mf – Luca GIANNONE ————————————— fr FC Matera
fw – Goran PANDEV – Macedonia int’l ————– fr Inter Milan
fw – Christian BUCCHI ————————————– fr CD Pescara
fw – Cristian GABRIEL – Argentina ——————- fr CA San Lorenzo (Arg)
fw – Erwin HOFFER – Austria int’l ——————— fr 1.FC Kaiserslautern (Ger)
fw – Camillo CIANO ——————————————- fr SS Cavese

Bogliacino, Ciano, Cigarini, Dalla Bona, Giannone, Hoffer, Insigne, Rinaudo had all been out on loan for the 2010-11 season; Amodio had been out on loan since January; Gabriel was out on loan from CA San Lorenzo of Buenos Aires to Atletico Tucuman in the Argentine second division last season; Pandev is out on loan for the 2011-12 season

Departing
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gk – Luigi SORRENTINO —————————– to AC Monza
gk – Matteo GIANELLO ——————————- released
df – Victor RUIZ – Spain —————————— to CF Valencia (Spa)
df – Hassan YEBDA – Algeria int’l —————- to Benfica Lisbon (Port)
df – Fabio SANTACROCE —————————- to FC Parma
df – Emilson CRIBARI – Brazil ——————— to Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte (Brz)
mf – Michele PAZIENZA —————————— to FC Juventus Turin
mf – Jose SOSA – Argentina int’l —————— to FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukr)
mf – Nicolas AMODIO – Uruguay —————- to CA Penarol Montevideo (Urg)
mf – Manuele BLASI – Italy int’l ——————- to FC Parma
mf – Luca CIGARINI ———————————— to Atalanta Bergamo
mf – Samuele DALLA BONA ————————- to FC Mantova
mf – Luigi VITALE ————————————— to FC Bologna
mf – Mariano BOGLIACINO – Uruguay ——- to AS Bari
mf – Lorenzo INSIGNE ——————————– to CD Pescara
mf – Luca GIANNONE ——————————— to Aurora Pro Patria
mf – Raffaele MAIELLO ——————————- to FC Crotone
fw – Christian BUCCHI ——————————— retired
fw – Erwin HOFFER – Austria int’l —————- to Eintracht Frankfurt (Ger)
fw – Nicolao DUMITRU ——————————- to FC Empoli
fw – Camillo CIANO ————————————- to FC Crotone
fw – Jean R.K. KOFFI – Ivory Coast ————- to AS Roma

Ciano, Cigarini, Dumitru, Hoffer, Insigne, Maiello, Santacroce and Vitale are all out on loan for the season

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FC Utrecht 3 – SSC Napoli 3

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Holland World Cup reserve goalkeeper MICHEL VORM of FC Utrecht, who had several significant saves in the UEFA Europa League match, courageously saves the close-range shot of SSC Napoli’s Argentina interntional striker EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI (22) at the Stadion Galgenwaard in the Netherlands. (Michael Kooren/Reuters)
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UEFA Europa League
Group Stage
12/2/2010

3 – FC Utrecht (HOL) ——— van Wolfswinkel 6′, pen 28′, Demouge 35′
3 – SSC Napoli (ITA) ———- Cavani 5′, 42′, pen 70′

For all the goals — to speak nothing of scoring chances — absolutely nothing was settled as visiting Serie A side SSC NAPOLI fought back from two goals down on the road to draw 3-3 with Dutch Eredivisie outfit FC UTRECHT in Group K of the UEFA Europa League.

21-year-old attacker RICKY VAN WOLFSWINKEL, who made his senior international debut for the Netherlands against Ukraine in August, struck for a brace while veteran striker FRANK DEMOUGE added a goal in the 35th minute to sent FC Utrecht up 3-1.

The emerging van Wolfswinkel, who scored seven goals in 31 league games last season after arriving from Vitesse Arnhem, leads FC Utrecht this term with both 11 goals in 17 Eredivisie matches as well as eight goals in 11 UEFA contests.

But Uruguay World Cup striker EDINSON CAVANI, Napoli’s leading scorer in Serie A with nine goals heading into the match in the Netherlands, completed his hat trick to bring the Italian club back for a share of the spoils; on loan from US Palermo, Cavani also tops Napoli with six goals in the UEFA Europa League this season.

Napoli might have snatched a late winner, but were unfortunate to have the point-blank header of 30-year-old veteran Brazilian defender EMILSON SANCHEZ CRIBARI, a purchase of 500,000 Euros from SS Lazio this summer, rebound off the base of the post in injury time.

The result leaves both FC Utrecht and SSC Napoli with four points after five games in Group K of the UEFA Europa League. In the final round of matches at this stage, Napoli will host Steaua Bucharest while FC Utrecht must travel to England and face FC Liverpool at Anfield. The former Romanian army club are currently occupying the critical second place on six points.

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SSC Napoli goalkeeper MORGAN DE SANCTIS, the 33-year-old veteran who could not find first team football with FC Sevilla in Spain but has earned three caps in his career for Italy, dives to stop the well-struck free kick of FC Utrecht’s Belgian winger DRIES MERTENS (11) at the Stadion Galgenwaard in the Low Countries. (Michael Kooren/Reuters)
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FC UTRECHT : Vorm – Cornelisse, Schut, Wuytens, Nesu – Lensky, Silberbauer – Duplan, van Wolfswinkel, Mertens – Demouge

SSC NAPOLI : De Sanctis – Grava, Cribari, Campagnaro – Camilo Zuniga, Yebda, Gargano, Vitale – Hamsik, Cavani, Lavezzi

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(Michael Kooren/Reuters)
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(Michael Kooren/Reuters)
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(Michael Kooren/Reuters)
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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
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FC Liverpool 3 – SSC Napoli 1

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Uruguay midfielder WALTER GARGANO of SSC Napoli looks to pull away from FC Liverpool’s Denmark World Cup midfielder CHRISTIAN POULSEN (28), a summer purchase for a base fee of 5.475 million Euros from Italian Serie A side FC Juventus, at venerable Anfield in England. (Phil Noble/Getty Images)
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UEFA Europa League
Group Stage
12/2/2010

3 – FC Liverpool (ENG) ———– Gerrard 76′, pen 88′, 89′
1 – SSC Napoli (ITA) ————— Lavezzi 28′

The arrival of the club captain off the bench as second half substitute sparked a late rally in the final quarter hour as English Premier League outfit FC LIVERPOOL flew past visiting Serie A side SSC NAPOLI 3-1 in Group K of the UEFA Europa League.

England World Cup midfielder STEVEN GERRARD scored all three goals, including the winner from the penalty spot as FC Liverpool overturned a first half deficit opposite Napoli and in the process ended a goalless drought that had extended well past two and a half games in the UEFA Europa League.

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France U-21 international striker DAVID NGOG, who scored both goals in ROY HODGSON’s first competitive game as FC Liverpool’s manager against Macedonian outfit FK Rabotnicki Skopje in early August, attempts to settle the ball as 29-year-old SSC Napoli defender PABLO CANNAVARO (28), a one-time Italy U-21 international, closes down at Anfield. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Konchesky – Poulsen (Eccleston 64′) , Spearing – Shelvey, Meireles, Jovanovic (Gerrard 46′) – Ngog (Lucas 82′)

SSC NAPOLI : De Sanctis – Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica – Maggio, Pazienza, Gargano, Dossena – Hamsik (Yebda 84′), Lavezzi

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(Tim Hales/AP)
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(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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(IHN/dailymail.co.uk)
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(Tim Hales/AP)
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(IHN/dailymail.co.uk)
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(Tim Hales/AP)
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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
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SSC Napoli 0 – FC Liverpool 0

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French forward DAVID NGOG (center) of FC Liverpool tries to storm past SSC Napoli defender SALVATORE ARONICA (6) as Algeria World Cup midfielder HASSAN YEBDA (21), who spent last year on loan to English Premier League club FC Portsmouth and has again been sent out on loan by Portuguese club SL Benfica Lisbon for this season to SSC Napoli this time, looks on at the Stadio San Paulo in Naples, Italy. (Ciro De Luca/Reuters)
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UEFA Europa League
Group Stage
10/21/2010

0 – SSC Napoli (ITA)
0 – FC Liverpool (ENG)

With new manager ROY HODGSON once again resting several regulars, visiting FC LIVERPOOL still manage to hold Italian Serie A side SSC NAPOLI to a 0-0 draw in Group K of the UEFA Europa League.

On the heels of the 2-0 loss to arch-rival Everton in the Merseyside Derby which left Liverpool a shocking second-from-bottom in the English Premier League, the Reds’ boss decided to hold out several key men such as England’s World Cup pair of defender GLEN JOHNSON and midfielder STEVEN GERRARD, Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES as well as Spain World Cup striker FERNANDO TORRES.

JONJO SHELVEY, whose fee to Charlton Athletic for the off-season transfer will rise to 3.4 million English pounds once the 18-year-old makes his Premier League debut for FC Liverpool, was selected by Hodgson to partner Frenchman DAVID NGOG in attack for the Reds against SSC Napoli away.

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Holland World Cup winger RYAN BABEL (19) of FC Liverpool sticks out a boot in a bid to stop the progress of SSC Napoli’s Argentine defender HUGO CAMPAGNARO at the Stadio San Paulo. (Ciro De Luca/Reuters)
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In a match with limited chances at both ends of the pitch, a moment of controversy arrived in injury time of the first half.

Uruguay World Cup striker EDINSON CAVANI of SSC Napoli made a sharp move to beat his marker in the penalty box on the left and sent a low cross which was met by Slovakia World Cup midfielder MAREK HAMSIK at close range in front.

Hamsik’s shot had the steam taken off it by FC Liverpool’s Denmark World Cup midfielder CHRISTIAN POULSEN and was ultimately cleared off the line by England international defender PAUL KONCHESKY for the Reds; whether or not the whole ball actually crossed the goalline, the play was very close and will renew calls for FIFA to use advanced technology.

In the second half, Holland World Cup winger RYAN BABEL of Liverpool, who has yet to score this season, had a golden chance to get the Reds all three points after being sent clear by Serbia World Cup striker MILAN JOVANOVIC but had his right-footed effort kicked aside by SSC Napoli’s Italy international goalkeeper MORGAN DE SANCTIS.

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Serbia World Cup striker MILAN JOVANOVIC (14), who has been deployed on the left in midfield by FC Liverpool after signing this summer on a free transfer from Belgian side Standard Liege, looks to pass the ball as Italy international ANDREA DOSSENA, the former FC Liverpool defender who was sold by the Reds to SSC Napoli in exchange for 4.25 million Euros last January, stumbles at the Stadio San Paulo. (Ciro De Luca/Reuters)
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SSC NAPOLI : De Sanctis ; Aronica, Cannavaro, Campagnaro, Dossena ; Pazienza, Gargano (Yebda 83′), Hamsik (Sosa 85′), Maggio (Zuniga 75′) ; Cavani, Lavezzi

FC LIVERPOOL : Reina ; Skrtel, Kelly, Carragher (Kyrgiakos 46′), Konchesky (Aurelio 65′) ; Jovanovic, Poulsen, Spearing, Babel (Cole 77′) ; Shelvey, Ngog

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Slovakia World Cup captain MAREK HAMSIK (17) of SSC Napoli has his shot deflect off of FC Liverpool’s Denmark World Cup midfielder CHRISTIAN POULSEN, an off-season signing from Serie A side Juventus of Turin, as Spain World Cup reserve goalkeeper PEPE REINA (25) spreads out to make a save in between the sticks for the Reds at the Stadio San Paulo. (Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images)
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The Slovakia World Cup skipper Hamsik watches as FC Liverpool defender PAUL KONCHESKY (3), who was capped twice by England for Charlton Athletic some years ago and arrived at Anfield on the last day of this past August from Fulham Athletic, gets set to clear his ball off the bounce from the Liverpool goalline at the Stadio San Paulo.
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23-year-old Holland World Cup winger RYAN BABEL of FC Liverpool, who cost 11.5 million English pounds when purchased from Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam in July of 2007, has his second half shot kicked aside by SSC Napoli’s Italy international goalkeeper MORGAN DE SANCTIS at the Stadio San Paulo. (Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
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(Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

SSC Napoli 0 – FC Utrecht 0

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SSC Napoli’s Argentina international midfielder JOSE ERNESTO SOSA (left), a purchase of 2.7 million English pounds from German champion Bayern Munich this past August, tangles with Romania international defender MIHALI NESU of FC Utrecht at the Stadio San Paulo in Italy. (Getty Images)
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UEFA Europa League
Group Stage
9/16/2010

0 – SSC Napoli (ITA)
0 – FC Utrecht (HOL)

In an affair that was surprising even, visiting Dutch club FC UTRECHT can be satisfied having earned a 0-0 draw with Serie A side SSC NAPOLI and a point in Group K of the UEFA Europa League.

Both Holland World Cup reserve goalkeeper MICHEL VORM of FC Utrecht and 33-year-old Italy international shot-stopper MORGAN DE SANCTIS, starting his second campaign as Napoli’s first choice after two seasons abroad with FC Sevilla in Spain and Turkish side SK Galatasaray Istanbul, showed themselves to be in good form betwen the sticks.

“If you had previously stated we would leave here (Italy) with a point, we would have loved it,” stated FC Utrecht coach TON DU CHATINIER after the match.

28-year-old Dutch striker FRANK DEMOGUE, a transfer deadline arrival from Willem II Tilburg, made his debut for FC Utrecht in the match with SSC Napoli, who won the old UEFA Cup back during the 1988-89 campaign with Argentina international superstar DIEGO MARADONA on board.

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SSC NAPOLI : De Sanctis ; Dossena (Maggio 76′), Cannavaro, Santacroce, Zuniga ; Aronica, Gargano, Sosa (Hamsik 56′), Yebda (Lucarelli 69′) ; Cavani, Lavezzi

FC UTRECHT : Vorm ; Cornelisse, Schut, Wuytens, Nesu ; Duplan (Maguire 83′), Silberbauer, Lensky, Mertens (Danso 89′) ; van Wolfswinkel, Demouge

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