UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP A: Napoli 2 Manchester City 1:MANCHESTER CITY, once again, are staring at the possibility of leaving the Champions League just as they were beginning to get acquainted with the competition. After their recovery from a slow start in the competition, they picked a bad time to misplace the form that has accompanied their rise to the Premier League's summit and will have to beat Bayern Munich to have a chance of qualifying.
Even then, it may not be enough. Whatever happens in Manchester on December 7th, Roberto Mancini’s team will be condemned to the Europa League if Napoli win at Villarreal. Bayern are safely through, but their reputation is not of a club that will treat a match in Manchester lightly.
For that, City will reflect on a hugely disappointing night of defending. They were beaten by Edinson Cavani’s two goals, the Uruguayan opening the scoring in the 17th minute and then re-establishing the lead early in the second half. Mario Balotelli, chosen ahead of Sergio Aguero, had equalised in the 33rd minute but there were only flashes of City’s best form and, despite a late onslaught, they failed to cope adequately with the challenges posed by talented opponents in a bearpit of a stadium.
Italy has the Stadio Olimpico, San Siro and many other great sporting cathedrals, but few have the acoustics of this place.
It is a whistling, firecracking pit of bias and, for City, the kind of experience that will have taught them much about the importance in this competition of asserting control and knowing how to handle venues where there is a rare form of colour and din.
The first lesson is not to give an already raucous crowd even more reason to turn up the volume but this was where City fell short. They began well, knocking the ball around and playing with calmness. But then they became careless and dishevelled. Napoli increased the pressure and, after 17 minutes, they led courtesy of a soft goal.
By this stage Marek Hamsik had headed a chance into Joe Hart’s arms and Ezequiel Lavezzi had shot wide. Hart then tipped Gokhan Inler’s shot over the crossbar and it was from Lavezzi’s corner City went behind. Cavani flicked the ball goalwards at the near post and Aleksandar Kolarov was unable to get a full contact on the ball before it ricocheted off Hart’s knee and into the net.
City looked devoid of ideas and were grateful Napoli would be just as obliging in defence for Balotelli’s equaliser. David Silva was given with the ball inside the penalty area and he reacted to Salvatore Aronica’s generosity with a quickly-taken shot that Morgan De Sanctis could only parry. Balotelli turned the ball home.
With the interval approaching, City looked the more composed team. When Silva played in Kolarov just before half-time De Sanctis could not hold the shot again but this time there was no one lurking to get to the rebound.
Yet what has often been overlooked during City’s free-scoring start to the season is that they have not always been defending as well as previously. Mancini had brought Pablo Zabaleta into the right side of his defence, with Micah Richards not even among the substitutes, presumably because the Argentinian is not prone to the same kind of occasional lapses of concentration. But when Napoli regained the lead it was from a move on their left flank, culminating in Andrea Dossena picking out Cavani inside the penalty area. The Uruguayan took his shot first-time and it was struck expertly, combining power and precision in equal measure.
Samir Nasri and Aguero came off the bench for City during a frenetic final half hour, but they were vulnerable to the counter-attack. Lavezzi broke only to be denied by Hart and Hamsik flashed a shot against the post. Balotelli had two chances to be the hero. The first was saved. The second was headed over the bar.
Guardian Service
NAPOLI:De Sanctis, Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica, Maggio, Inler (Dzemaili 59), Gargano, Dossena (Fernandez 89), Lavezzi, Hamsik, Cavani (Pandev 83). Subs not used: Rosati,Grava,Mascara,Santana.
MANCHESTER CITY:Hart, Zabaleta (Johnson 85), Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Silva, De Jong (Nasri 70), Toure Yaya, Milner, Balotelli, Dzeko (Aguero 81). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Savic, Barry, Clichy. Booked: Balotelli, Silva, Kompany, Kolarov.
Referee:Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
