Napoli get their just deserts as late goal sinks Reds
Liverpool received a taste of their own medicine as Napoli scored a 90th-minute winner to inflict a 1-0 defeat on Jurgen Klopp’s side in the Stadio San Paolo.
Two weeks ago, the Reds snatched a winner of their own deep into added time to beat Paris Saint-germain but the tables were turned in Naples, with Lorenzo Insigne sliding home from close range 30 seconds from the end of normal time.
In truth, the hosts, who also hit the crossbar through substitute Dries Mertens, deserved it, having dominated against a Liverpool side putting in one of their worst performances under Klopp.
The last time the Reds came here in 2010 with an understrength side they left with an instantly-forgettable goalless draw. This performance will also not live long in the memory but had they managed to hold out, it would have been an important point.
Napoli became only the second team, after Porto in a dead rubber at Anfield, to stop Liverpool from scoring in the last
19 European matches, but that was only half the problem as Klopp’s side were extremely poor in possession.
Midfielder Naby Keita made his Champions League debut while Napoli fielded Marek Hamsik, the only survivor from the two sides’ meeting eight years ago in the Europa League.
Liverpool’s team from that encounter is one fans have been trying to forget ever since, coming midway through Roy Hodgson’s illfated six-month tenure. But they played like that muchmaligned side, carelessly giving the ball away too many times, especially in midfield, with Keita one of the main culprits.
However, he was far from on his own as Napoli seized on every error to establish dominance and, had it not been for Liverpool’s excellent centreback pair of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, things could have been much worse.