Napoli give warning of Champions League intentions

NAPOLI remain firmly in the hunt for Champions League football after substitute German Denis came off the bench to score the winner against Sampdoria.

Denis headed home after 71 minutes to move Napoli on to 33 points, just one behind second-placed AC Milan.

Sampdoria put up a strong fight but they could not find the goals necessary to prevent Napoli extending their unbeaten run to 12 games.

That was despite a strong start which saw them boss the opening exchanges of the game.

Stefano Lucchini met Daniele Mannini’s early cross to send the ball back into the danger zone, and Salvatore Aronica had to make a timely intervention to keep out Franco Semioli’s shot.

The visitors stayed on top for most of the opening 20 minutes, with Napoli needing a mistake in the Sampdoria box to get their first sight of goal.

It came when Daniele Gastaldello gifted possession to Marek Hamsik. He released Michele Pazienza to cross for Fabio Quagliarella, but his spectacular bicycle kick - which went wide - would not have counted anyway due to an offside flag.

Walter Gargano then had a shot from inside the area charged down as Napoli began to come to life.

They soon began to play the sort of scintillating football that has lifted them into the battle at the top of the table.

Aronica’s superb defence-splitting pass found Cristian Maggio in the 29th minute, leaving the forward one-on-one with Luca Castellazzi, but his shot was too close to the Sampdoria goalkeeper who scrambled the ball clear.

However, chances were hard to come by as the Genoa side were able to get back in numbers and cut out crosses.

Denis, a first-half replacement for Ezequiel Lavezzi, saw little of the ball in the first half but began to get into the game after the break, and had the ball in the net after 47 minutes only to have the effort ruled out for offside.

There was a blow moments later for the visitors as Castellazzi was forced off to be replaced by Vincenzo Fiorillo.

Maggio should have opened the scoring in the 62nd minute when he met a low cross from Aronica, but with the goal gaping he sent his shot wide of the target.

Maggio then had another great chance three minutes later as he fired on goal from a tight angle, forcing Fiorillo into a great save to concede a corner. But there was nothing Fiorillo could do when Hugo Campagnaro’s cross found Denis and he powered his header beyond the helpless goalkeeper.

Sampdoria had two late chances to snatch an equaliser, with Angelo Palombo behind both of them.

First the midfielder sent in a long-range free-kick that was inches away from the top right-hand corner of the net with goalkeeper Morgan de Sanctis motionless on his line.

Moments later he tried another long-range effort and was again narrowly off target with the goalkeeper beaten.

However, there was no way back as Napoli continued their upward march. — ESPN