Coppa Italia, Napoli avoids flop on penalties

Napoli takes big risks but passes, ahead also Cremonese, Cesena and Empoli

Antonio Conte’s first official game on the Napoli bench threatened to turn into a nightmare but a monumental Alex Meret chased away the ghosts and allowed them to celebrate passage to the third round of the Coppa Italia, after defeating Modena (a Serie B club) on penalty kicks.

In the 90 minutes of regulation time played at the 'Maradona' Napoli failed, despite their efforts (there were an impressive 28 total conclusions, against the Canarini's 4), to unhinge the Emilian defense: it is all decided on penalties where Chedira's mistake deludes the guests, who però see Meret extinguish the conclusions from the penalty spot of Battistella and Zaro, thus making the goals of Di Lorenzo, Ngonge, Simeone and Kvaratskhelia decisive for qualification.

The challenge between Cremonese and Bari also ended on penalties: at 90'è 1-1 with goals by De Luca for the grigiorossi at 68' and Manzari’s equalizer at 80'80; Federico Bonazzoli scored the decisive penalty shortly after the Biancorosso Oliveri’s mistake. At the 'Bentegodi' Hellas, an A club, was instead surprised by Cesena, which is instead part of the cadet division: Kargbo at 44' and Cristian Shpendi at 49' launched the Romagnoli, Tengstedt’s goal at 75' was not enough for the hosts.

Pronounced respected instead in another clash between Serie A and B, with Empoli dominating Catanzaro beating it 4-1: Tuscans in goal by Fazzini at 8'8' Catanzaro equalized with Bonini at 13' but then collapsed under the blows of Colombo, in goal at 48', Sebastiano Esposito, scoring at 56', and again Fazzini, who put the final seal on the victory at 93'

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