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Napoli put City’s CL hopes in trouble

Comment: 0 November 23rd, 2011 by: admin

SUDDENLY, Manchester City are in trouble.

Not in the English Premier League though. But City suffered a setback in the Champions League on Tuesday and it dented their chances of making it to the qualifying stage of the tournament.

Napoli stunned City with a 2-1 victory at Stadio San Paolo as Edinson Cavani scored both goals for the Italian side to end to his scoring slump in style.

Unproductive since Oct. 29, the Uruguayan striker rediscovered his touch against a side who looked invincible mainly because of their red-hot form in the EPL.

Cavani opened his scoring act with a glancing header off a corner in the 17^th minute. After a Napoli defensive miscue enabled Mario Balotelli to level for City in the 33^rd, Cavani lifted Napoli back to the lead in the 49^th, turning a cross from Andrea Dossena into a goal past goalkeeper Joe Hart from the middle of the penalty box.

Napoli, who dominated most of the match, could have added another goal but forward Marek Hamsik hit the post in the 76^th while City could have turned things around but Balotelli squandered four chances to level the count.

Napoli thus moved to second spot in Group A with 8 points behind Bayern Munich with 13. Bayern, with French winger Franck Ribery hitting two goals, clipped Villarreal 3-1 to secure a spot in the knockout phase.  City have 7 points while Villarreal are mired at 0.

If they win their final match no matter what happens to City, Napoli will progress. City, who saw their win run in all competitions halted at 9, have a tougher task as they need to defeat Bayern and hope Napoli lose to Villarreal.

Also sealing their spots in the next round with one round to go were Benfica and Inter Milan.

Benfica left Manchester United’s hopes hanging in the air after forcing a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. Although the Portuguese side and the Red Devils were tied at 9 points, Benfica will advance as Group C winners if they hurdle Romanian whipping side Otelul Galati in their final group tussle in Lisbon next month because they have a better head-to-head record against United.

Veteran Argentine Pablo Aimar hit the equaliser for Benfica after catching the United defence off-guard. The Red Devils had clawed their way back from a Phil Jones own goal early on behind the braces of Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Fletcher.

Inter, the 2010 winners, made it to the last 16 even before their game at Trabzonspor because Lille earlier prevailed 2-0 at CSKA Moscow in Group B. The Italian outfit clinched first place though after drawing 1-1 in Turkey.

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