Sassuolo vs. Napoli: Final score 0-1, Callejón gets Napoli back to winning ways
A goal from José Callejón proved sufficient for Napoli to win away at struggling Sassuolo on Sunday.
The first quarter of the match passed largely without incident, save for an early Andrea Consigli save on a close-range Marek Hamšík attempt. Napoli dominated possession and territory, though struggled for find a way through the neroverdi ranks. At the other end, Sassuolo offered almost nothing at all.
However, Napoli needed only one moment of class to break the deadlock, and Gonzalo Higuaín provided it just short of the half-hour mark. His venomous low cross from inside the penalty area perfectly picked out José Callejón at the back post, leaving the Spaniard with a routine finish for 1-0. Sassuolo failed to muster an immediate response, with the Neapolitans carrying their deserved advantage into the halftime break.
It was a lead they went close to doubling twice within 10 minutes of the restart, with Consigli forced into batting away a drilled Lorenzo Insigne cross at the near post, shortly before Higuaín lashed the ball wide when he was sent through on goal. Sassuolo substitute Simone Missiroli almost punished Napoli for their wastefulness just past the hour, though he curled the ball just over the bar from the edge of the area.
Sassuolo continued to look more and more dangerous as the game wore on, and went closest to finally drawing level with just over five minutes remaining. However, Federico Peluso’s volley was agonisingly deflected against the crossbar, and Napoli hung on for the win. The neroverdi, meanwhile, are still winless this season.
Sassuolo: Consigli; Peluso, Acerbi, Cannavaro, Gazzola (Vrsaljko 76’); Taïder, Magnanelli, Brighi (Missiroli 56’); Sansone, Zaza, Floccari (Pavoletti 73’).
Goals: None.
Napoli: Rafael; Britos, Koulibaly, Albiol, Zúñiga; Gargano (Jorginho 77’), López; Insigne, Hamšík (De Guzmán 61’), Callejón; Higuaín (Zapata 70’).
Goals: Callejón (28’).
