Napoli reached the Italian Super Cup final for the sixth time in its history, after beating defending champion Milan 2-0 on Thursday in the semi-finals at Al Awwal Park Stadium in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.Coach Antonio Conte's team owes reaching the final scene of the thirty-eighth edition of the competition, which is being held for the fourth time in a row, and the sixth time in history, in Saudi Arabia, to its Brazilian winger David Neres (39) and its Danish striker Rasmus Højlund (64).Napoli, who are looking for their third title in the competition after 1990 and 2014, have set a date in the final scheduled for Monday against the winner of Friday's match between Inter and Bologna. It is worth noting that the Super Cup is being held for the third time in a row in its new format with the participation of the champions of the local league and cup competitions and their runners-up.This edition will witness record financial prizes amounting to 23 million euros (about 27 million dollars), including 11 million (12.89 million dollars) for the expected champion.
The start of the match witnessed a relative advantage for Milan in possession and formation of the threat, and they almost took the lead on two occasions through their English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek (5) and their Belgian winger Alexis Sailemakers (16). However, Napoli's Serbian goalkeeper Vania Milinkovic-Savic was present to save his team in the first, while the Belgian misshot the ball in the second.
The league champion responded with a shot from the edge of the penalty area that went wide of the right post of its Scottish star Scott McTominay (32), before Frenchman Adrien Rabiot wasted a golden opportunity for Milan with a header from close range that went just over the crossbar (35).Hoylund played a cross from the left side inside the area, but the French international goalkeeper Mike Minyan diverted it, and it was prepared in front of Neres, who had no difficulty in depositing it into the open goal from close range, opening the scoring (39).Hoylund almost added a second goal for the southern team, but his powerful, creeping shot from close range was brilliantly blocked by Minyan to a corner (45+1).
Minyan excelled again by brilliantly blocking a shot by Kosovar defender Amir Rahmani from outside the area (54).But the Frenchman stood helpless in the second confrontation in front of Huelund, who penetrated the area from the left side, and shot a powerful, creeping ball from a narrow angle that settled to the left of Minyan (64).With this victory, Napoli regained its balance, after suffering two consecutive losses to Benfica of Portugal continentally (0-2) and Udinese locally (0-1).On the other hand, Milan suffered its third loss this season in 19 matches in all competitions, its second in the last four matches.
