Napoli beat Girona 4-2 on penalties: Meret saves two

Napoli wins on penalties against them Girona, the second friendly match of the Castel di Sangro retreat. After the 1-1 in regulation time, the penalty decides the match which ends 4-2.

Rudi Garcia is always looking for the right tactical balance and the new friendly match with the Spanish team Girona is a good opportunity to fine-tune mechanisms and see his players at work again when the level of preparation is now at an advanced stage. The second match with European opponents in the second phase of the pre-season, which takes place in Abruzzo, pits the Azzurri against Girona and ends 1-1 with goals in the first half by Stuani and Simeon from the diskette.

Then, somewhat unusually for a friendly match, the match went to penalties to decide the winner of the match, which in the end turned out to be Napoli with an overall score of 4-2. The indications that reached the Neapolitan coach were partly positive even if the team was still incomplete (there was no substitute for Kim in defence and negotiations to replace the Korean still seemed to have no outlet) and some players (Demme, Mario Rui and Gaetano) were absent due to injury.

At the last moment, the French coach also has to give up the man most eagerly awaited by the approximately seven thousand Azzurri fans present in the stands of the Patini stadium in Castel di Sangro. Osimhen is in fact forced to rest due to a muscle strain and sits on the bench but only to watch the match with his teammates.

Also on the bench is president De Laurentiis, who is trying to find an agreement with Lozano, who refused the transfer to Los Angeles and may have been convinced to accept a reduction in his salary to remain in the blue jersey next season. Spagnoli in the lead at 13': Error by Ostigard who with a back pass launches Stuani in goal: from two steps he doesn't miss and beats Gollini.

The equaliser came in the 41st minute: Folorunsho was brought down in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. Simeone stepped up to the spot and put the ball into the top corner.

In the 57th minute, a great opportunity for Napoli: Lobotka recovers the ball and launches Zerbin: alone against a Girona defender, he serves Zedadka who however misses when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

 Garcia brings on the starters at 60'

Garcia changes 10 players: they enter the field Meret, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Olivera, Zielinski, Anguissa, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia and Politano. In the final one chance each: Girona almost scored the lead with Almena: Meret saves the goal.

Di Lorenzo almost makes a magic backheel.

 Meret amazing on penalties

We go to the spot: for the Napoli Raspadori, Anguissa, Zielinski on target. Politano hits the post thanks to the Spanish goalkeeper.

Meret hypnotizes Nunez, Callens, Yan Couto. Almena scores.