Lazio booked their place in the Coppa Italia final by beating Napoli 1-0 in the second leg of their semi-final this evening.
With the game finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Napoli made a bright start and Manolo Gabbiadini came close to scoring with a powerful free kick that smashed against the post.
Despite the home side's dominance, they were punished with 11 minutes left to play as Senad Lulic slotted in Felipe Anderson's delivery from close range.
Lorenzo Insigne almost took the game to extra time, but his shot was cleared off the line by Lulic as Lazio held on to book a second final appearance in the past three seasons.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
Good evening everyone! Our coverage of this season's Coppa Italia continues with a clash between two Serie A heavyweights. It should be quite some game, as holders Napoli take on Lazio for a place in the final against Juventus.
Tonight's game is finely poised after a 1-1 draw in last month's first leg. Miroslav Klose gave Lazio a deserved lead in a first-half that they dominated, but Napoli fought their way back and Manolo Gabbiadini tapped in from Gonzalo Higuain's delivery to give his side a crucial away goal.
Despite their slight advantage, Napoli come into this evening's game in poor form. They have slipped down to sixth in the Serie A table following a run of five league games without a win and it has seriously damaged their hopes of reaching the Champions League next season.
Napoli may be struggling, but the complete opposite can be said of their opponents tonight. Lazio are absolutely flying and they have put together a run of seven league wins on the spin to move up to third in Serie A. It really has been a sensational turnaround for a team who finished ninth last season and missed out on European qualification altogether.
TEAM NEWS: Gonzalo Higuain, who has scored seven goals in his last five games against Lazio, leads the line, with Dries Mertens, Marek Hamsik and Manolo Gabbiadini supporting him in the attack. Meanwhile, Lazio continue with the in-form trio of Antonio Candreva, Felipe Anderson and Miroslav Klose in their front line.
NAPOLI XI: Andujar, Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam, Inler, Gargano, Gabbiadini, Hamsik, Mertens, Higuain
LAZIO XI: Berisha, Basta, De Vrij, Mauricio, Braafheid, Cataldi, Biglia, Parolo, Candreva, Anderson, Klose
NAPOLI SUBS: Rafael, Colombo, Koulibaly, Strinic, Henrique, Zuniga, Jorginho, David Lopez, Insigne, Callejon, Zapata
LAZIO SUBS: Marchetti, Strakosha, Novaretti, Cana, Ciani, Pereirinha, Cavanda, Ederson, Ledesma, Lulic, Mauri, Perea
Both teams warmed up for this vital match with contrasting results at the weekend. Napoli lost for the third successive away league match following a 1-0 defeat against Roma, while Lazio shone once again by earning a 3-1 victory over Cagliari, in a game that had pretty much everything.
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A look at the recent meetings between the teams suggest that Napoli are in pole position to reach the final. They have not lost in their previous seven games against the Rome outfit, with the 1-1 draw in the first leg ending a run of four consecutive wins. They will play each other once more on the final day of the season in Naples, which could be decisive in the battle for a Champions League place.
PREDICTION: With just a few minutes to go before kickoff, it's time for a quick prediction! This should be a tight match and I don't expect there to be much separating the teams. I went for a 1-1 draw in the first leg and I think we could see a very similar scoreline, with the game going all the way to extra time and penalties. Due to Lazio's form, I'm going to tip them to book a final appearance against Juventus, which incidentally will take place at their home ground.
The players have finally made their way out onto the pitch and the start of the match is a minute or two away from kicking off.
KICKOFF! We are underway at the Stadio San Paolo!
Napoli have started the match on the front foot and they have seen all of the ball in these opening minutes. Most of their possession has been in the centre of the pitch though, with neither club's back four troubled as yet.
We very nearly have a chance on goal as Lazio break at pace and Candreva bursts down the left. He drives into the box and he looks to get a shot away, but Britos does brilliantly to get back and makes a great challenge to stop him.
It's Napoli who are almost in down the other end of the pitch, as Gabbiadini is freed down the right. It opens up for him to have a shot, but he opts to take an extra touch before delivering a ball across the box that is cleared by the Lazio defence.
SHOT! This is a really good chance for Hamsik. Mertens plays a brilliant reverse ball and slips him into the box. He then takes the ball past Berisha, but in the end the angle is too tight for him and he can only poke his strike wide.
Napoli are causing their opponents a lot of problem down the wings and they are looking to free their wide men with raking balls over the top. This time Gabbiadini races onto a pass down the right and it is only a fine tackle from Braafheid that stops him in his tracks.
SHOT! Napoli are really piling on the pressure at the moment and they win a succession of corners before finally forcing an attempt on goal. It comes from Mertens, who gets on the end of Inler's ball over the top, before poking an effort wide under pressure from Berisha.
CHANCE! First real chance of the game for Lazio. Klose does brilliantly to hold the ball up on the edge of the box and he waits for Candreva to arrive. It is then teed up for the Italian who fires in a drive looking for the bottom corner, but the ball ends up heading inches wide of the far post.
The fans are starting to show their frustrations as when a couple of promising Napoli moves have broken down they make plenty of noise. Despite a few good signs from their team, it's just not happening from them at the moment, but of course they are heading through to the final as things stand.
If we are going to see a goal from Napoli, then it looks like it could come from the right-hand side of the pitch. Braafheid has been given plenty of problems by Gabbiadini and Mertens has also shifted over to that side of the pitch to help put the full back under further pressure.
OFF THE POST! What a goal this would have been from Gabbiadini. The midfielder rifles in a low free kick from all of 30 yards that has the keeper beaten, before crashing against the post. It was a super strike and that has certainly livened up the crowd.
YELLOW CARD Albiol is the first player to pick up a booking for a foul on Klose. It also means that he will now miss the final, should Napoli make it through.
SHOT! This game has really opened up now and Lazio threaten after a good spell in their opponents half. They eventually work the ball to Parolo, who shifts it onto his left foot and tries to fire one into the top corner, but he just slices the shot and puts it wide of the post.
At this point in the game, it's hard to see which manager will be more pleased. Napoli do have the crucial away goal that is sending them through to the final, but just one strike from Lazio will completely change the complexion of the tie.
SHOT! Gabbiadini has probably been Napoli's best player so far this evening and he makes a wonderful run into the box to meet Hamsik's cross, before flashing a header wide of the far post.
CHANCE! Lazio haven't threatened too often, but this must go down as a decent opportunity. Candreva swings a wonderful ball to the back post that is met by Braafheid, but the full back gets his header all wrong and directs it well wide. He seemed as surprised as anyone to be in that position and it's the sort of chance that someone like Klose may have taken.
HALF-TIME: Napoli 0-0 Lazio
We've reached half time in Naples and it's still goalless between the two teams. It means that Napoli will be heading through to the Coppa Italia final by the end of the night, but you get the feeling that there are a couple of twists and turns left in this one yet.
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It's hard to say who has been on top, with the barely anything to choose between the teams. Napoli have slightly edged possession, but both teams have had five shots each. However, we are still waiting for our first shot on target, with Gabbiadini's great free kick that hit the post the best chance so far.
Just a reminder that the winners will go on to face Juventus in the final at the Stadio Olimpico. The Bianconeri claimed a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina last night and they really do look in top form at the moment, with a potential treble still well within their grasp.
Both teams are making their way out of their dressing rooms and back out onto the pitch, so we should be back underway in just a few moments.
We are back underway in Naples!
YELLOW CARD! It's been a scrappy start to the second half with both teams giving away possession very cheaply. There have also been some poor challenges and Mauricio becomes the first Lazio player to pick up a card for a foul on Higuain.
CHANCE! How on earth has this not gone in the net! Hamsik is slipped in down the right and he whips a brilliant low ball across the box. Higuain meets it at the back post and turns it back into the middle, but before any of his teammates can arrive Berisha pounces to claim the loose ball.
SHOT! Lazio really need to go for it now as without a goal they are heading out. They are still finding it hard to create too many openings, but Candreva has a glimpse of goal when he lashes in a strike from just outside the box that is well held by Andujar.
SUBSTITUTION: Lazio are making their first change of the match, with their captain Mauri coming on to replace Cataldi.
Anderson has been quiet this evening, but he bursts into life here. Following a quick break, the Brazilian receives the ball just outside the box and he dribbles past two defenders, before Napoli finally manage to tackle him. He has scored some wonderful goals in recent weeks and he's one player that the hosts will have to carefully watch.
CHANCE! It's end to end at the moment and just after Klose is tackled after a surge into the box, the hosts break quickly with Higuain slipped through on goal. However, the Argentine cant get the ball under his spell and a really poor touch sees it head through harmlessly to the keeper.
Although we haven't seen any goals, this game has been so open and it really could go either way. Lazio look much more threatening on the counter, but whenever they do break forward they are leaving a lot of space for Napoli to exploit and Higuain really should have punished them moments ago.
Anderson is starting to show his quality now and he produces a great piece of skill down the left to get to the byline, before driving the ball across the box. It is blocked at the front post and it gives his side a corner, but they are unable to make the set piece count, with Andujar punching to safety.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Lazio are going to make a change here, with Lulic coming on for Candreva. Napoli are also changing things around, with De Guzman replacing Mertens.
Braafheid has almost cost his team a goal, as he blindly plays the ball back towards his keeper, unaware that Higuain was in close attendance. The Argentine looks as if he will get onto the ball, but Berisha comes rushing off his line to make a wonderful challenge and clears it to safety.
SUBSTITUTION: It's another change, as Callejon is coming on for Napol, with Gabbiadini the man to make way.
CHANCE! Napoli have created some wonderful chances in this second half, but they have all gone to waste. Another good opportunity comes their way when De Guzman latches onto a ball over the top, but a terrible first touch sees it go into the arms of the keeper.
SAVE! This is a massive chance for Lazio. Anderson gets to the byline and whips in a brilliant cross from the right that picks out Lulic at the back post. The Bosnian then powers in a firm header, but it is brilliantly saved by Andujar.
CHANCE! Down the other end of the pitch it's Napoli who almost find the back of the net. Hamsik gets on the end of a clearance 25 yards out from goal and looks to power a volley into the bottom corner, but his effort flashes inches wide with the keeper well beaten.
GOAL! Napoli 0-1 Lazio (Senad Lulic)
With just over 10 minutes of the game left it's Lazio who take the lead in the tie! Anderson is the creator with a wonderful run down the right and he then whips a low ball to the back post that is touched in from close range by Lulic. It means that the visitors are heading through to the final, unless Napoli can come up with something special.
CHANCE! It just won't go in for Napoli. Callejon fires in a strike that bounces up into the path of Higuain inside the box, but the striker's acrobatic attempt at a volley ends up dropping over the bar.
SUBSTITUTION: Lazio respond to taking the lead by making a change at the back, as Cavanda is on to replace Braafheid.
YELLOW CARD! De Guzman is shown a deserved card for a needless hack from behind on Basta.
SUBSTITUTION: Napoli make their final change of the match, with Insigne replacing Gargano.
OFF THE LINE! This really is unbelievable! Insigne almost makes an immediate impact from the bench as he dances into the box and finds himself facing the keeper. He then pokes a low effort past the keeper that looks headed for the far corner, until Lulic gets back to clear the ball off the line.
There are going to be four minutes of stoppage time for Napoli to find an equaliser or it will be Lazio who head through to the final.
YELLOW CARD! Parolo picks up a booking for the visitors.
Napoli are still plugging away, but it doesn't look like it is going to happen for them. They keep swinging in a number of crosses and after Lazio clear a couple away, the final delivery is headed well over by De Guzman.
FULL-TIME: Napoli 0-1 Lazio
The final whistle blows and it's Lazio who are heading to the Coppa Italia final! Senad Lulic scored the decisive goal with just 11 minutes left to seal a 1-0 win on the night and a 2-1 victory on aggregate. Napoli certainly had their chances, but they didn't take them and can have no complaints at the final score.
So, Lazio will now face Juventus in the final at the Stadio Olimpico. That should be quite some game and it could be the perfect end to what has been a great season for the Biancocelesti. I'm off to catch my breath after a stunning night of football here in Naples! Until next time, goodbye!
Written by
Alex Meyers
Alex Meyers
