Juventus 2-2 Napoli (5-6 on pens)

18:00 | 23.12.2014
Juventus 2-2 Napoli (5-6 on pens)

Juventus 2-2 Napoli (5-6 on pens)

Napoli twice came from behind against Juventus to win the Italian Super Cup on penalties in Qatar.

Massimo Allegri's side took the lead through Carlos Tevez in both normal and extra time but Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain proved he could match his compatriot with a brace of his own.

And in a dramatic penalty shootout that saw both keepers produce a string of stunning saves it fell to the unfortunate Simone Padoin to miss the decisive spot kick that handed the Neapolitans their first Super Cup success in almost a quarter of a century.  

The last time these two teams met in the Italian Super Cup final was in 2012 when the Turin giants ran out comfortable winners in Beijing.

The 2014 final was played in different country but the final's first incident was depressingly familiar for Rafa Benitez's Napoli side.

The crowd were barely in their seats when Tevez scored the game's opening goal. The Argentine forward slotted the ball through Rafael Cabral's legs after being put through one-on-one.

Napoli's Jose Callejon had gone nine games without a goal before Monday's game and it was a drought that really should have ended early in the second half. 

Marek Hamsik's defence-splitting pass provided a glorious chance for the former Real Madrid man but he dragged his shot wide of the far post.

But the equaliser did eventually come, ending another Napoli player's barren spell in the process. 

Gonzalo Higuain found the net for the first time in seven matches, heading in Jonathan de Guzman's perfectly-weighted cross. 

Napoli were the better side for most of the game but after finally finding the back of the net they lost confidence and sat back, allowing Juventus to come at them.

Their timidity almost cost them late on but Arturo Vidal and Tevez conspired to squander chances and send the game to extra time.

As the game wore on the humidity and heat of the Doha night drained the players' energy but Tevez still had more to offer.

After some neat work from Paul Pogba on the edge of the box, Tevez beat a defender and slotted home his second of the night to restore his side's lead. 

The Serie A champions couldn't hold their lead though as Higuain equalised yet again to take the game to a penalty shootout.

Both sides appeared certain to win during the course of the finale but it was the unfortunate Padoin who provided the final nail in Juventus's coffin.

Cabral saved Padoin's penalty, the 14th of the evening, as Napoli won their first Super Cup since beating the Old Lady 5-1 in 1990. 

(dailymail.co.uk)

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