Napoli have beaten Palermo at the Renzo Barbera for the first time since 1969 thanks to goals from Goran Pandev, Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik. Considering how back-and-forth the first half was, with both sides carving out a slew of chances, it's a bit of a surprise that the match was ultimately so comfortable for the visitors, but Palermo ultimately couldn't keep up the pace and were punished for it.
Palermo Vs. Napoli, 2011 Serie A: Big Win For Partenopei
It was the hosts who looked the more likely to score for the majority of the opening spell, with Fabrizio Miccoli and Franco Vazquez both wasting glorious opportunities to test Morgan de Sanctis, but it was Francesco Benussi's net which was breached first when Cavani set fellow Uruguayan Walter Gargano free down the Napoli right. The little midfielder drove in towards the box and picked out Pandev, who slotted home after a moment of confusion.
If Palermo had come out all guns blazing in the second half, the match would have gone very differently, but they gave their guests too much time on the ball and were made to pay with a pair of exquisite goals. Cavani made it 2-0 with a 25-yard curling effort shortly before Marek Hamsik danced around Benussi’s challenge and swept him from a tight angle. Miccoli’s 88th minute consolation, brilliant though it was, meant very little, and Napoli were able to see out the match comfortably for a 3-1 win.
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