Giovanni Simeone equalized from the penalty spot after Leo Østigård gifted Cristian Stuani the opening goal of the match. Alex Meret stepped up in the penalty shootout, guiding Napoli to a 3-1 victory.
Lineups
Victor Osimhen and Coli Saco did not suit up due to muscle fatigue, while Diego Demme and Mario Rui continue to recover from muscle injuries. Eljif Elmas recovered from his muscular injury and Stanislav Lobotka featured in the second half, despite suffering from knee pain after the friendly against Hatayspor.
First Half
Second Half
First Half
Napoli created the first clear chance of the match. In the 6th minute, Giovanni Simeone tested Juan Carlos with a volley at the second post, but the keeper was up to the task.
The visitors opened the scoring only 13 minutes into the match. Leo Østigård inadvertently played a back-pass straight into the path of Cristian Stuani. The Girona striker carried the ball to the edge of the area before beating Pierluigi Gollini, who came off his line to close down the angle.
The home side nearly equalized moments before the half-hour mark. Hirving Lozano carried the ball through the midfield before spotting Simeone in the middle of the park. The Argentinian went for goal from distance, but his shot took a slight deflection off a Girona player and veered wide of the mark. Napoli Primavera player Nosa Obaretin came close on the ensuing corner kick, but his header finished on the roof of the goal.
Simeone was Napoli’s most dangerous player in the first half and was rewarded for his efforts shortly before the break. Michael Folorunsho, who was arguably the man of the match, played a give-and-go with Lozano before the ex-Bari player was fouled in the Girona area. Simeone stepped up to the spot and fired into the top corner to level the score heading into the break.
Second Half
Garcia made one change at the half, replacing Lozano with Lobotka. The Slovakian assumed his usual role as regista, while Karim Zedadka shifted to right wing and Alessio Zerbin shifted to left wing.
That change paid off as Napoli should have taken the lead in the 58th minute. Lobotka pressed high to win the ball in the middle of the park before picking out the run of Zerbin. The ex-Frosinone player, who was 2-v-1 with the Girona defender, squared the ball to Zedadka in front of the goal. Zedadka had only Juan Carlos to beat, but he shot straight at the keeper, who made a fairly routine save.
Garcia introduced most of his regulars starters at the hour mark, but Napoli struggled to create many legitimate chances to score. In fact, Girona had the two best chances in the final quarter of the match.
In the 72nd minute, Yan Couto picked out Iker Almena in the area, but the youngster’s volley was well-stopped by Alex Meret. Girona nearly stole the victory in the final minute of the match. Iván Martín intercepted Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s pass toward the centre of the Girona area and immediately broke the other way. Couto carried the ball across midfield and let fly from the top of the box, but Meret watched as the ball rose slightly above the bar.
Penalty Shootout
For the viewing pleasure of the fans in attendance at the Stadio Teofilo Patini, the match was decided by a penalty shootout.
- Giacomo Raspadori opened the shootout with a GOAL, sending Juan Carlos the other way after a hesitation before the shot – 1-0;
- Iván Martín shot first for Girona, but Alex Meret guessed correctly, diving to his left to make the SAVE – 1-0;
- André-Frank Zambo Anguissa shot second for Napoli, scoring a GOAL with a power strike into the centre of the net – 2-0;
- Napoli retained the two-goal advantage after a MISS from central defender Alexander Callens, skying his shot over the bar – 2-0;
- Piotr Zielinski scored Napoli’s third straight GOAL, firing a powerful shot into the corner of the goal. Juan Carlos guessed correctly, but the shot was unstoppable – 3-0;
- Antonino Jastin needed to score a GOAL to keep Girona alive, and the Girona youth player delivered, sending Meret the other way – 3-1;
- Matteo Politano had a chance to win the shootout, but the winger’s shot struck the POST and stayed out – 3-1;
- Yan Couto stepped up next for Girona. Once again, Meret guessed correctly, diving to his right to make the match-winning SAVE – 3-1.
