|
Napoli's return to the top flight was nothing short of disastrous, as they were felled 2-0 by fellow relegation battlers Cagliari and booed off the field by the crowd.
The Stadio San Paolo was packed out for Napoli's first Serie A match since 2001. These two sides hadn't met in the top flight since a 1-1 draw on April 13, 1997 and both had a point to prove - the Azzurri that they belonged here and Cagliari that they could survive without David Suazo following his switch to Inter. Paolo Cannavaro and Maurizio Domizzi sat out bans for the home team.
Napoli got off to a strong start with Garics firing over and at the other end Gennaro Iezzo held Foggia's strike. Marco Fortin came flying out to tip a Hamsik free kick off Emanuele Calaio's head. The Napoli striker got the worst of it and needed a large bandage to stem the blood.
Savini went on the counter down the left flank and set up a good opportunity that Hamsik fired straight at Fortin.
Soon after, Napoli had a great chance, as Hamsik was charging towards the goal when Lopez hacked him down. The Cagliari player was not last man and was only booked.
Fini broke through on the counter-attack and was in a good position to shoot, but fired over when confronted by Iezzo.
Daniele Conti risked a red card just before half-time for his scything challenge from behind on Ezequiel Lavezzi, but escaped with a booking.
Ex-Juventus forward Marcelo Zalayeta made his Napoli debut as a second half substitute for Calaio'. Within seconds he had sparked a move that led Lavezzi to appeal for a penalty.
In a shock turnaround, Cagliari took the lead at the stunned Stadio San Paolo. Foggia's cross was chested down by Fini for ex-Rimini forward Alessandro Matri's angled drive into the far bottom corner of the net. It was his first ever Serie A goal and came somewhat against the run of play.
Roberto De Zerbi was thrown on to bring a little more creativity and his lob did not take Fortin by surprise.
It got worse for Napoli, as Savini was adjudged to have shoved Fini just inside the area. Napoli-born Pasquale Foggia converted the penalty and refused to celebrate in front of his hometown fans.
Napoli were very unlucky, as on 62 minutes Hamsik's header from a Manuele Blasi cross thumped the base of the upright.
Hamsik threatened again five minutes later, his shot smothered by goalkeeper Fortin's stomach from point-blank range.
Davide Biondini's strike was turned out for a corner by Iezzo, but in stoppages Fortin again denied Hamsik from close range.
| 
