Piotr Zielinski and Fabian Ruiz scored in the first half before Lozano Di Lorenzo and Insigne netted in the second half to seal the crucial three points for Napoli, Stefano Okaka score the lone goal for Udinese.
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Napoli thrashed Udinese 5-1 at Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday to get closer to sealing the Champions League qualification. Gennaro Gattuso’s side scored two goals in the first half through Piotr Zielinski and Fabian Ruiz. Stefano Okaka pulled one back for the away side in the 40th minute. But, Napoli found the back of the net three times in the second half to destroy Udinese. Hirving Lozano, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Lorenzo Insigne got on the score sheet for Napoli in the second half.
Two minutes before the half-hour mark, Udinese goalkeeper Juan Musso denied Victor Osimhen from close range but Zeilinski scored of the rebound to make the score 1-0 for Napoli. Three minutes after the goal, Fabian Ruiz extended the lead with a stunning curler from outside the penalty box. The Spanish midfielder collected the ball from Zielinski and curled the ball past Musso into the top corner.
Udinese’s number 7 stefano Okaka used his strength to out-muscle the Napoli defender Manolas before slotting the ball past Napoli goalkeeper Alez Meret to make the score 2-1 before half time. But Hirving Lorenzo pounced on a poor pass from Musso to make the score 3-1 in the 56th minute.
Napoli scored their fourth goal of the night via a corner from the right-wing. Centre-back Manolas’ first time header was saved by Musso, but Di Lorenzo slotted in from the rebound.
Insigne, who was denied by the wood work in the match, scored of a first time volley from just outside the penalty box in the injury time, thus making the score 5-1 in favour of Napoli.
The win helped Napoli into second spot with 73 points from 36 games. One point ahead of Atalanta and AC Milan and four points ahead of fifth placed Juventus, all of whom have a game in hand.
Napoli will travel to Fiorentina in their next fixture and finish their campaign at home to Verona. They just need to win both the games to book a Champions League ticket for next season.
Udinese are 12th in the points table with 40 points from 36 matches.
Atalanta, AC Milan and Juventus will be in action today as they take on Benevento, Torino and Sassuolo in their respective games.
