DBasia.news – Giacomo Raspadori scored twice as Napoli came from behind and defeated Ajax’s 10 players 6-1 in their Champions League group A match.
Captain Giovanni di Lorenzo, Piotr Zielinski, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and substitute Giovanni Simeone also scored for Napoli after Mohammed Kudus gave the hosts the lead in the first ten minutes.
With this victory, Napoli are firmly at the top of the standings with nine points, three points ahead of Liverpool and six points over Ajax.
Ajax, who had lost to Liverpool in their previous group game, went ahead in the ninth minute when Kenneth Taylor’s shot hit team-mate, Kudus and the ball deflected into the corner.
Raspadori equalized in the 18th minute with a header at the back post after Mathias Olivera’s cross from the right.
Kvaratskhelia crossed for Di Lorenzo, who put Napoli back in front with a header.
Napoli extended their lead just before half-time with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa moving forward before feeding Zielinski to finish it off.
Two minutes after the break, Zambo Anguissa then stole possession and set up Raspadori for his second.
Kvaratskhelia made it 5-1 in the 63rd minute, having made a simple one-two pass with Raspadori.
The damage was irreparable when Ajax captain, Dusan Tadic was sent off and Napoli continued to press the hosts, with Simeone scoring the sixth goal in the 81st minute.
The two clubs meet again next week in Italy, with Napoli looking to secure qualification for the next round.
In other matches in Group D, Tottenham Hotspur only drew 0-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park.
This left both teams only collecting four points and two points behind the leader, Sporting CP.