an end on Thursday courtesy of a 2-0 defeat at Young Boys.
A closely contested game came to life early in the second half,
when Guillaume Hoarau netted with a half volley.
Leonardo Bertone then made it 2-0 on the break in stoppage
time to give the hosts all three points, leapfrogging them above
the Partenopei at the top of Group I.
The first real opening came with a quarter of an hour on the
clock, when Hoarau glanced a header narrowly wide of the post.
Jonathan de Guzman attempted to hit back for the visitors
moments later, but his effort from a tight angle was parried by
Yvon Mvogo.
The Young Boys keeper was a fairly busy man in the first half an
a superb dive to divert a Dries Mertens curler around the post
kept the scores level.
Hoarau's aerial presence kept the Napoli defence honest though
and the striker really should have done better when presented
with a free header at the far post, as he nodded straight at
Rafael.
But after a frustrating first half, Hoarau wouldn't have to wait
long for his moment after the restart, slotting home a neat half-
volley with 52 minutes on the clock.
The expected response from Napoli wasn't forthcoming though,
and Rafa Benitez was forced to make a change as Marek Hamsik
came on in place of the disappointing Michu.
However, the best the Slovakian could manage was a half-
hearted appeal for handball, as Young Boys proved themselves
adept at repelling what little the Serie A side could muster.
Substitute Jose Callejon saw a goal correctly disallowed, before
Napoli were undone for the final time.
Their haste to find a leveler left all sorts of space at the back, an
Steffen exploited the gaps with a through pass to Bertone, who
beat Rafael with aplomb to clinch a famous win for the Swiss
side.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
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