Lorenzo Insigne’s snooker shot, a spectacular Dries Mertens hat-trick and Arkadiusz Milik flick allowed Napoli to push past Empoli 5-1.
Lorenzo Insigne’s snooker shot, a spectacular Dries Mertens hat-trick and Arkadiusz Milik flick allowed Napoli to push past Empoli 5-1.
It took Lorenzo Insigne just 80 seconds to drill wide from the edge of the box, then a very difficult Dries Mertens volley was smothered by Ivan Provedel.
Insigne opened the scoring on nine minutes with a snooker shot into the far bottom corner off the outside of his right boot, but the goal was created by Kalidou Koulibaly. The defender won back possession in his own half and surged forward to roll across the assist.
Traore did well to hold off Kevin Malcuit and force him to fire on to the side-netting from a tight angle after a Mertens through ball, but Luca Antonelli saw his equaliser ruled offside after nutmegging Orestis Karnezis at the near post.
Piotr Zielinski’s rocket was beaten away by Ivan Provedel and Rade Krunic wasted a great chance by firing wide from 12 yards, although he didn’t realise that Francesco Caputo was offside in the build-up.
Insigne intercepted a wayward Di Lorenzo pass and laid it off for Mertens, who looked as if he was going to run at three defenders, but instead placed a remarkably precise low right-foot drive into the far bottom corner from a good 20 metres out.
Fabian Ruiz curled over from distance and Napoli nearly scored on the counter, Zielinski, Fabian and Mertens combining to set up Elseid Hysaj at the back post, but Provedel rushed out to smother.
The hosts were turning on the style, but Fabian scuffed the finish after a volleyed Zielinski cross and Mertens attempted an audacious lob.
The showboating proved a little premature, because Empoli got themselves back into the game on the hour mark. Krunic picked a smart through ball to release Caputo and the striker kept his cool, stroking in with the inside of his right foot to bounce off the inside of the far post.
Suddenly, the momentum had changed and Hamed Traore saw his shot charged down, while Salih Ucan hit the side-netting with a volley on the turn.
Carlo Ancelotti threw on Jose Callejon and Allan, making an immediate difference. Callejon provided the assist, but it was all Mertens for the third goal with a spectacular curler from the edge of the box that dipped viciously into the far top corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance.
Empoli wouldn’t give in and Matias Silvestre turned a free header over from a Manuel Pasqual cross, then Koulibaly had to scramble across to block Caputo going clear.
Karnezis fingertipped a Di Lorenzo header over and the visitors poured forward to the end, but were caught out by a classic counter.
It was a well-worked goal, one-touch passes from Insigne to Mertens and Milik, the substitute scoring with the outside of the left boot. Mertens could’ve gone for the hat-trick from that position, but opted to set up his teammate instead.
It was presumably good karma, because Mertens did get his Treble with the last kick of the game. Insigne on the half-way line threaded a perfect pass for the Belgian to run on to, he shrugged off on-rushing Provedel and deposited into an empty net.