Chelsea came from behind to beat Napoli 3–2 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday, sealing their place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 while knocking Napoli out of the competition. Chelsea went ahead early through Enzo Fernández, who converted a penalty in the 19th minute after Napoli defender Juan Jesus was penalised for handball. But Napoli responded strongly, with Antonio Vergara scoring in the 33rd minute and Rasmus Højlund giving the hosts a 2–1 lead before halftime.
According towww.goal.com, needing a win to avoid the knockout playoff round, Chelsea fought back after the break. João Pedro brought the visitors level in the 61st minute with a powerful finish, and then struck again in the 82nd minute to put Chelsea ahead, completing the comeback. The result ended Napoli’s hopes of progressing, they finished the group stage with just eight points and are eliminated from European competition, while Chelsea finished with 16 points to secure direct entry to the Round of 16.
Napoli’s injury-hit side had looked organised and competitive, rewarding their fans with two well-taken goals, but they were unable to maintain their advantage against a resilient Chelsea side. For Napoli coach Antonio Conte, the defeat was a disappointing end to their European campaign, extending a frustrating run in continental competitions amid a challenging season. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
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