Neres and Hojlund send Napoli Supercoppa final
Napoli booked its place in the Supercoppa Italiana final after goals in either half from David Neres and Rasmus Hojlund sealed a 2-0 win over AC Milan.
The current Serie A champion will face the winner of the other semi-final between Bologna and Inter, with the showpiece match taking place on 22 December.
Mike Maignan almost gifted Napoli an early goal when he spilled Matteo Politano's inviting corner, but on the rebound, Eljif Elmas could only steer his effort wide of the mark.
Napoli continued to push as Scott McTominay's shot from distance whistled past the right-hand post before Adrien Rabiot headed narrowly over the crossbar at the other end.
But six minutes before the break, Napoli got themselves in front as Maignan could only get a fingertip to Hojlund's cross, allowing Neres to tap home from inside the six-yard box.
Antonio Conte's team almost doubled its lead in first-half stoppage time, but Hojlund's near-post strike after a fast break was brilliantly repelled by Milan captain Maignan.
Napoli was quickest out the blocks after the interval, with Maignan again on hand to keep its lead at just one, this time saving Amir Rrahmani's attempt from distance.
However, the Partenopei would get the goal their performance deserved in the 63rd minute when Hojlund spun past Koni De Winter before unleashing a stunning finish that struck the base of the right post on its way in.
Hojlund came close to adding his second soon after from a similar position but fired just wide of the far post, while McTominay should have put the game beyond doubt three minutes from time, but he wildly lashed over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
After four months on the sidelines with a thigh injury, Romelu Lukaku was named on the Napoli bench at Al-Awwal Park, but it was Napoli's on-loan striker Hojlund that impressed here.
The Dane netted his seventh goal in what was his 18th appearance in all competitions for Napoli, while he also ended the contest with team-high totals for shots (three), touches in the opposition box (nine), chances created (two) and duels competed in (nine).
But Napoli was sent on its way by Neres's finish in the 39th minute. Indeed, the only other Brazilian to score in the Supercoppa Italiana for Napoli was Careca, who netted a brace against Juventus in 1990. He is also the first player from Brazil to score against Milan in the competition.
Conte will be pleased with the authority his team showed in the match and the efficiency it went about its business.





































