Napoli 1 : 3 Atalanta - Euro blow for Napoli

Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2012 by PA

Napoli's hopes of securing European football next season suffered another setback as Walter Mazzarri's side fell to a 3-1 home defeat to Atalanta and had Macedonian striker Goran Pandev sent off.

Giacomo Bonaventura's 10th minute opener for the mid-table visitors sent Napoli on their way to a third consecutive Serie A defeat which leaves Mazzarri's men outside the UEFA Europa League qualifying places.

Maximiliano Moralez set up Bonaventura to fire home from just inside the box for the visitors but Ezequiel Lavezzi gave Napoli hope four minutes later when he prodded home the rebound after Pandev's initial effort.

Napoli came close to snatching the lead in the 17th minute when Edinson Cavani's 25-yard free-kick was superbly saved by Andrea Consigli, while at the other end Morgan De Sanctis punched away a Moralez effort.

Consigli kept Atalanta in the game again in the 36th minute with a save from Marek Hamsik, then with Napoli pressing Lavezzi headed over and Cavani also missed a close-range opportunity.

Atalanta regained the lead in the 58th minute when Gianpaolo Bellini fired home from close range - and 10 minutes later they made it 3-1 when Bellini found Carlos Carmona, who shot into the top corner.

Napoli's woes increased when Pandev was given a straight red card in the 70th minute for kicking Moralez from behind - and Bonaventura missed the chance to make it 4-1 when he hit the post in the 73rd minute.

The hosts continued to press for a way back into the match, Hugo Campagnaro missing a golden opportunity from a Lavezzi free-kick before Andrea Dossena's close-range header was well saved by Consigli.