Napoli advanced to the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, defeating Braga 2-0 and ending a two-month home hoodoo.
Serder Saatci’s clumsy own goal and Victor Osimhen’s first goal since early October helped the Italian champions qualify second in Group C, behind Real Madrid.
Walter Mazzarri’s team would have advanced even with a single goal, but they comfortably advanced to the next round, ending a six-match winless record at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
A first victory in Naples since defeating Udinese in late September ensured that Napoli concluded the group stage with 10 points, six more than Braga, who will be relegated to the Europa League.
Braga knew they needed to win by at least two goals to overtake Napoli, and Bruma squandered a fantastic opportunity to put the visitors ahead with only two minutes on the clock, blasting wide from close range following chaos in the Napoli area.
Their task was made more difficult in the ninth minute, when Saatci tripped over Matteo Politano’s low cross and sent the ball flying towards his own goal.
Matheus, the Braga goalie, tried everything he could to keep the score even, but he could only claw the ball out after it had crossed the line.
Napoli pushed for a second, but a stunning Alex Meret save kept Braga at bay with a Ricardo Horta rocket from distance.
However, in the 33rd minute, Napoli’s entrance into the next round was practically guaranteed by newly-crowned African player of the year Osimhen.
The Nigeria striker was left gaping at Piotr Zielinski for not squaring to him when he was fully unmarked just yards from goal, instead smashing a shot straight at Matheus.
However, after bursting down the left flank, Natan played the right ball, allowing Osimhen to bundle in his seventh goal of what has been a difficult campaign in southern Italy thus far.
Osimhen’s first goal in this season’s Champions League meant Braga just needed four goals without reply to advance, and the relief was palpable both in the stands and on the pitch.
Zambo, Andre-Frank When Osimhen brilliantly teed Anguissa up in the 65th minute, the Cameroonian midfielder could only shoot straight at Matheus.
The only negative aspect of the game was Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s persistent lack of form, with the out-of-sorts Georgian failing to score in Europe’s highest club league this season.
He will get another chance in the new year, thanks to a win that ended a painful run of three straight defeats and could restore some confidence to troubled Napoli.
