Giacomo Raspadori breaks through as Napoli beats Union Berlin 1-0 in the Champions League

BERLIN: Giacomo Raspadori scored the solely purpose of the recreation as Napoli floor down defense-first Union Berlin to win 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Napoli solely wanted one shot heading in the right direction in the complete recreation as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia unlocked the deep, slender protection of Union with a dribble down the left aspect to the touchline, the place he lower the ball again for Raspadori to attain in the sixty fifth minute.

Napoli is second in Group C, three factors behind Real Madrid, which received 2-1 at Braga in the different recreation. It was Napoli’s second win in all competitions after back-to-back losses to Madrid and Fiorentina earlier than the worldwide break. Union is final in the group with no factors.

Defeat additional deepened the gloom round Union, which has misplaced 9 video games in a row in all competitions as its first-ever Champions League marketing campaign has turned bitter, with the staff additionally near the Bundesliga relegation zone. The staff’s most notable low season signing, defender Leonardo Bonucci, was an unused substitute after a run of poor type.

After shedding the opening two video games of its first season in Europe’s prime membership competitors to added-time targets, Union appeared content material to take a seat deep in opposition to Napoli and sometimes threaten on the counter. That made for a boring first half notable principally for Union followers’ celebrations at the cavernous Olympiastadion — the membership’s momentary dwelling for its three Champions League dwelling video games — when Janik Haberer put the ball into the internet just for it to be disallowed for a transparent offside in the buildup by David Datro Fofana.

After Raspadori made the breakthrough, Union had an opportunity to stage when Robin Knoche received his head to Christopher’s Trimmel free kick however nodded the ball broad of the put up.

There was an indication of discontent in the Union staff as coach Urs Fischer appeared to jostle Fofana, who ignored his handshake whereas being substituted in the seventieth, shortly after the purpose. Fofana is on mortgage from Chelsea.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)