Advertisement

Champions League soccer: Napoli knocks off Liverpool

By Alex Butler
Kostas Manolas (L) and Napoli shut out Mohamed Salah's (R) Liverpool squad for the second consecutive time Tuesday in Naples, Italy. Photo by Ciro Fusco/EPA-EFE
Kostas Manolas (L) and Napoli shut out Mohamed Salah's (R) Liverpool squad for the second consecutive time Tuesday in Naples, Italy. Photo by Ciro Fusco/EPA-EFE

Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Napoli pulled off a shocking 2-0 upset of defending champions Liverpool in a Group E match in the 2019-2020 Champions League in Naples, Italy.

Napoli scored their first goal on a Dries Mertens penalty kick in the 82nd minute Tuesday at San Paolo Stadium. Fernando Llorente iced the victory with another goal in stoppage time.

Advertisement

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp told reporters after the match he believes the Serie A squad can go on to win the competition.

"We have to accept the result and we do that," Klopp said. "We are really critical with ourselves but it was not a really, really bad performance; it was a game which you can win at Napoli, but we didn't because we didn't score and that doesn't work then really."

Liverpool keeper Adrian and Napoli net-minder Alex Meret had some incredible saves in the scoreless first half. Napoli also had a goal disallowed due to an offside call in the opening act.

"It's my job as a goalkeeper, to try to save all the balls as much as I can and to try to help the team," Adrian told LiverpoolFC.com.

Advertisement

"I gave my best, I tried hard. But at the end of the day we lost 2-0, so I can't be happy."

Mertens' penalty came after Reds left back Andy Robertson took down Napoli's Jose Callejon in the box in the 80th minute. Adrian dove to the correct side and attempted to save the Mertens attempt, but the shot was too quick for his reflexes and deflected off his hand before landing in the net behind the Reds keeper.

"Beating Liverpool means a lot and shows how much potential we have, but if we want to go through we have to beat the other two teams as well," Mertens told reporters after the win.

Reds star defender Virgil van Dijk turned the ball over on his own side in the 92nd minute. The ball deflected into the Liverpool box before Llorente beat several defenders for a one-touch shot into the far-post netting.

"Managing to score against the European champions is already a big emotion in itself, but I must say I didn't imagine the thrill would be as extraordinary as it was at this stadium," Llorente said.

Liverpool takes on Chelsea in the Premier League at 11:30 a.m. EDT Sunday at Stamford Bridge in London. Napoli returns to Serie A play with a match against Lecce at 9 a.m. EDT Sunday at Stadio Via del Mare in Lecce, Italy. Napoli's next Champions League test comes against Genk Oct. 2 in Genk, Belgium. Liverpool hosts Salzburg in another Champions League group stage match Oct. 2 at Anfield in Liverpool, England.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines