Higuain brace takes Napoli top
Print Edition
Gonzalo Higuain scored twice to put Napoli top of Serie A with an extraordinary 2-1 win over Inter Milan which twice hit the woodwork in stoppage time after playing the entire second half with 10 men on Monday.
The moody Argentina forward, now the league’s leading scorer with 12 goals, fired the hosts ahead after 64 seconds and Inter was in more trouble in the top-of-the-table clash when Yuto Nagatomo was sent off in the 44th minute.
The contest seemed to be over when Higuain struck again on the counter just after the hour but Inter was not finished.
Adem Ljajic quickly pulled a goal back in the 67th before Stevan Jovetic headed against the post and Miranda’s header was somehow tipped on to the upright by Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina in an unforgettable finale.
Earlier, Fiorentina, which had started the day joint second with Napoli, was held 1-1 at Sassuolo. Borja Valero gave Fiorentina a 5th-minute lead but Sergio Floccari headed the hosts level just before halftime.
Napoli, which took only two points from its opening three games, leads the table with 31 points from 14 games after winning nine and drawing two of its last 11 matches. Inter has 30 points and Fiorentina 29.
The match in Naples was billed as a battle between Napoli’s more refined style and Roberto Mancini’s dour and physical Inter side.
Barely a minute had passed when Lorenzo Insigne caused havoc in the Inter penalty area and the ball fell to the feet of Higuain, who fired past Samir Handanovic with a shot on the turn.
Jose Callejon and Marek Hamsik missed further chances for Napoli while Fredy Guarin and Ivan Perisic went close for the visitors.
But Inter suffered a severe setback when Nagatomo was given a second booking for a clumsy, mistimed tackle on Allan.
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