Napoli beat Monza in six goal thriller to close in on European spots
Although Napoli had the better of the opening nine minutes, a long ball to the left side of the box found Zerbin, who crossed into the box for Milan Đurić to overcome man marker Juan Jesus and head in his first goal for the Biancocelesti.
Barely another 10 minutes later, a scramble inside the box that ended with Giovanni Di Lorenzo firing over the bar served as a warning sign for Monza.
So too did a VAR review late in the first half after Napoli had gradually found their way back into proceedings, with Daniele Doveri turning down Victor Osimhen’s claims for a penalty.
And the second half got off to a similarly tense note for Monza, as Cyril Ngonge failed to get back from an offside position in time, before firing into the corner past Michele Di Gregorio.
It was ruled out instantly, but Napoli finally equalised for real on 55’ through Osimhen. Matteo Politano was the initial architect, finding André-Frank Zambo Anguissa on the overlap, enabling him to cross in from the right flank.
The Nigerian talisman timed his run to perfection, and leapt fully over the head of Armando Izzo’s 6’1 frame to equalise – though not without some wincing in the moments after he hit the turf awkwardly.
Buoyed by the leveller, Napoli then decided to give a shooting display not seen since the days of Annie Oakley.
They edged ahead in incredible fashion just before the hour mark, as an attempted shot deflected out to Politano, who hit an unstoppable volley past a stranded Di Gregorio.
Not to be outdone, Piotr Zieliński then doubled Napoli’s cushion with a similarly breathtaking thunderbolt. A succession of passes just outside the Monza area ended with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nudging the ball back to the Polish playmaker, and he turned on the spot, before shooting left-footed in off the bar from distance, with Monza’s custodian once more helpless.
What was already an exhausting affair even for commentators and match reporters – let alone the players – took another immediate turn, as Andrea Colpani charged forward from the restart and turned inside Juan Jesus on the right-hand corner of the box, before curling a shot inside the far stick with his left boot, with perhaps a hint of a deflection as it spun past the desperate lunge of Alex Meret.
That might have set up a grandstand finish, but Napoli soon restored their two-goal cushion, when Osimhen flicked to the onrushing Di Lorenzo, who burst through the yet-again static Monza backline.
Though Di Gregorio thwarted him in the ensuing one-on-one, he could only spill the ball into the path of Giacomo Raspadori at full sprint, who needed only to steer in the loose ball with his very first touch.
The latter stages were more sedate by comparison, giving Napoli a win to remember in an otherwise disappointing campaign, keeping alive their hopes of a 16th successive year in European competition next term.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Matteo Politano (Napoli)