Napoli hang on to make their point against Bayern
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Xinhua, October 19, 2011
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Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez (right) reacts after he failed to score on a penalty kick during a Champions League Group A match against bBayern Munich in Naples, Italy on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. |
Napoli recovered from a nightmare start and saved a penalty to peg back Bayern Munich 1-1 at home on Tuesday.
The Partenopei were in second place and still unbeaten in the Champions League, but welcomed leaders Bayern Munich on a 100 per cent record.
Walter Mazzarri's men needed to bounce back from their shock 2-1 home defeat to Parma on Saturday evening.
However, within 100 seconds Bayern had taken the lead. A Jerome Boateng cross from the right found Toni Kroos, who was totally unmarked and allowed to run between the defenders to fire past Morgan De Sanctis. Napoli were caught half-asleep at the back.
The home side took a while to recover from that nightmare start, but Holger Badstuber was booked for tripping Ezequiel Lavezzi on the counter in midfield. Hugo Campagnaro's cross-shot was flicked off Edinson Cavani's head to whistle just wide of the far post.
Kloos had a chance for a second, but his volley from Bastian Schweinsteiger's cross to the back post was scuffed. Mario Gomez also threatened with a snapshot that flashed past the upright after another poor defensive error.
There was tension on 27 minutes when Schweinsteiger was booked for a coming together with Salvatore Aronica, as replays show he shoved him in the face as they were tussling for a corner. Paolo Cannavaro was booked for dissent, arguing for a red card, so will be suspended for the second leg in Munich.
Bayern went very close to a second on 32 minutes when a corner found Boateng unmarked for a volley, but Morgan De Sanctis palmed it off the line and Cannavaro cleared before Gomez could get the tap-in.
Napoli finally created a chance moments later with Lavezzi earning a corner. From that set play, Marek Hamsik couldn't get to the cross with his head, as Schweinsteiger intercepted with an outstretched arm. The referee waved away penalty appeals, but it would also have been a red card, as Schweinsteiger was already booked.
Moments later Napoli got their equaliser and the San Paolo went wild. Christian Maggio got down the right and flashed a low ball across the face of goal, but it was accidentally prodded past his own goalkeeper by Badstuber. This was the first goal Bayern have conceded in 1,147 minutes of football - that's 19 hours and seven minutes.
There was controversy straight after the restart, as a Gomez shot was charged down in the box by Cannavaro. He was spinning round in the air and it struck his back and elbow. The referee initially waved play on, but was alerted by the touchline official and awarded a penalty a good 30 seconds later when play was back in midfield. However, De Sanctis comfortably smothered the weak and central Gomez spot-kick.
Soon after, De Sanctis bravely dived in to grab a dangerous Schweinsteiger header off the foot of Gomez in the six-yard box, earning an accidental knock to the head.
Bayern had a great chance from a corner, but Thomas Muller incredibly prodded over the bar from five yards. Ribery went down in the box, but was only booked for simulation.
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