Steaua - Napoli - 2010

Napoli were rocked by a triple goal rampage in the opening twenty minutes in Bucharest and only just managed to find their way back in the game despite Steaua being down to ten men for an hour in a dramatic 3-3 draw. An own goal by Emilson Cribari gave the hosts the confidence to attack their visitors. Cristian Tanase doubled their lead just after ten minutes direct from a free-kick and Greek striker Pantelis Kapetanos looked to have sealed it after 17 minutes. However a goal before half-time from Luigi Vitale gave Napoli a lifeline after their hosts were reduced to ten men. It wasn't until almost twenty minutes into the second half before Marek Hamsik gave the visitors a glimmer of hope with a fine strike from twenty odd yards. However it looked as if Steaua had held on but, Cavani grabbed the equaliser in the 98th minute much to the chagrin of the Romanians. After just two minutes of the game a cross from the left wing was deflected in by Napoli defender Cribari as the wicked deflection wrong footed Morgan de Sanctis at his near post and sent the Romanian fans into wild celebrations. It unsettled Napoli and worse was to come as the Italians seemed intimidated by their surroundings. A free-kick from distance from Tanase missed everyone in the box and foxed the Napoli keeper once more, dropping over his head and into the far right corner direct from the free-kick. On 17 minutes the game looked dead and buried. This time a cross from the right evaded everyone except striker Kapetanos who guided it back past the 'keeper from a tight angle to give the Romanians a start they must have only dreamed of. Napoli were given a light at the end of the tunnel when the same striker Kapetanos was sent off just after the half-hour mark. It was silly to raise his arms when his team was so comfortably in front. Napoli reacted and pressed for a large part of final fifteen minutes of the first half. They finally got their reward and a potential route back in the game a minute before half-time. A cross found Vitale in the box and the midfielder drilled home to give the Italians something to fight for. Tackles began fly in the second half as the tension rose in Bucharest but despite having a man disadvantage, it was the Romanians who came closest to extending their lead striking the crossbar not once but twice in one move at the start of the second half. The jeering was almost unbearable from the home fans when Napoli had the ball but half-time substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi continued to look the best outlet for the Italians, however he was shut out time and time again. Hamsik really put the game on edge with a superb finish from distance swerving past Ciprian Tatarusanu in the Steaua goal with just over fifteen minutes left. Napoli tested the defence of Steaua time and time again but couldn't find an equaliser. With ten minutes left the hosts threw on extra numbers in defence. A full eight minutes into stoppage time, it was Cavani that stole the headlines converting a cross by Jose Sosa to the utter disgust of the Romanian side and manager who darted on to the pitch at full-time.