Napoli hosted Inter Milan in their Serie A clash at the Stadio San Paolo
The home side took the lead through Gonzalo Higuain, but Esteban Cambiasso drew the visitors level.
Dries Mertens and Blerim Dzemaili scored within quick succession to give Napoli a two goal advantage, however Yuto Nagatomo pulled a goal back for Inter before the break.
In the second half, Ricky Alvarez was sent off for the away side, before Jose Callejon sealed the win for the hosts with a fourth goal late on.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of the Serie A match between Napoli and Inter Milan at the Stadio San Paolo.
Today sees the meeting of third place Napoli and fifth place Inter Milan. Both teams will be desperate to earn three points as they battle it out for a place in the Champions League next season.
NAPOLI XI: Rafael, Maggio, Fernandez, Albiol, Reveillere, Inler, Dzemaili, Insigne, Callejon, Mertens, Higuain
INTER MILAN XI: Handanovic, Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Rolando, Jonathan, Taider, Cambiasso, Alvarez, Nagatomo, Guarin, Palacio
NAPOLI SUBS: Colombo, Reina, Uvini, Britos, Bariti, Pandev, Radosevic, Armero, Cannavaro, Behrami, Zapata
INTER MILAN SUBS: Castellazzi, Carrizo, Zanetti, Juan Jesus, Andreolli, Belfodil, Icardi, Kovacic, Mudingayi, Kuzmanovic, Wallace, Pereira
Napoli go into tonight's game off the back of a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Champions League that wasn't enough for them to get through to the knockout stages. They drew their previous Serie A game 3-3 with Udinese and will be looking to close the gap on second place Roma to two points.
Inter are unbeaten in their last eight league games, but they have drawn their last three matches in Serie A. Last time out they shared a thrilling 3-3 draw with Parma. They are four points behind Napoli in the table, and were overtaken in fourth place by Fiorentina, who won 3-0 against Bologna this afternoon.
Napoli have only lost once at home in the league this season, while Inter remain unbeaten away from the San Siro.
PREDICTION: There is plenty at stake this evening and neither team will want to loose ground at the top of the table. Napoli will be reeling from their Champions League exit and I expect them to start the game strongly. Inter have been good in recent weeks, but have been unable to hold onto the lead. I think this will be a game full of quality and I can see it finishing in a 1-1 draw.
There are just five minutes to go until kickoff here in Naples, and the players are getting ready to enter the pitch.
The players make their way onto the pitch and Inter manager Walter Mazzarri receives huge boos from the crowd.
KICKOFF! We are underway at the Stadio San Paolo.
We haven't seen any goalscoring chances yet, as each side tries to get a foot on the ball. It has been a scrappy opening, with plenty of passes going astray.
Alvarez does well to get down the left wing and Maggio slides in to put the ball out, but the referee doesn't give the corner as he feels it came of the Inter man last.
Palacio comes close to scoring for Inter as he heads over a brilliant long ball by Cambiasso, but it wouldn't of counted if he had found the net, as the assistant had his flag up.
CHANCE! Inter are having the better of the chances now, and the ball is played back to the edge of the box to Cambiasso, but he gets underneath his shot and puts it over the bar.
GOAL! Napoli 1-0 Inter Milan (Higuain)
The home side have taken the lead and it's Higuain who has scored their goal! A long ball into the box is headed away by Nagatomo, but only as far as Higuain, who powers in a volley that gives the keeper no chance.
That goal has given Napoli a huge amount of confidence and Mertens bursts to the edge of the box, before curling in a low strike, but it is too close to the keeper who holds on.
The home side are seeing all of the ball now and Inter can't get out of their own half. Higuain looks on top of his game and it takes three defenders to bring his latest foray forward to an end.
Inter relieve the pressure on their defence by winning a corner, and the ball is played back to Nagatomo who tries his luck from long range, but his attempt is saved by the keeper.
The away side put together a wonderful series of passes on the edge of their opponents area, but as it is played through to Taider, he is flagged offside.
Maggio wastes a good break by the home side as he tries to pick out Higuain's run, but gets his pass all wrong and puts the ball out of play.
Inter manage to put together a decent move and find Guarin 25 yards out from goal. He gets the ball out of his feet and aims for the top corner, but his strike travels over the bar.
The visitors are looking to find Palacio but a number of their passes have been too long and the Napoli defence have dealt with their threat easily.
OFF THE POST! Napoli come within inches of doubling their lead. Insigne picks up the ball on the right hand side, before cutting in and unleashing a drive that comes crashing back of the woodwork.
Inter go down the other end and win a corner, that is played short to Jonathan. The full back then whips in a dangerous ball, but there is no one on hand to connect with his cross.
Napoli attempt to find Higuain with a long ball over the top, but Ranocchia does brilliantly to stop the striker getting through on goal.
YELLOW CARD! Insigne picks up a booking for a foul on Jonathan and Inter have a free kick just outside the box.
CHANCE! Taider chips a wonderful free kick over the top for Palacio, but he gets his volley all wrong and fires it over the bar. That was a great opportunity for Inter and the striker will be disappointed to have missed that.
YELLOW CARD! Inler is booked for poor foul from behind on Campagnaro.
GOAL! Napoli 1-1 Inter Milan (Cambiasso)
Inter are level and it's a fine team move. Guarin delivers a ball into the middle that is flicked on by Alvarez, and Cambiasso arrives at the back post to fire a strike into the back of the net.
Inter have certainly deserved that goal as they dominated the game, with Napoli not building on their great start. They have passed the ball around well and now look the more likely to score next.
GOAL! Napoli 2-1 Inter Milan (Mertens)
What a great goal by Mertens! The ball is slipped through to Dzemaili, who holds the ball up on the edge of the box, before Mertens arrives and curls a brilliant shot into the bottom corner.
GOAL! Napoli 3-1 Inter Milan (Dzemaili)
It has been a fine half of football, and the hosts have a two goal lead. Napoli come forward on the break and Mertens fires in a strike from the edge of the box that is saved by Handanovic, but he can only parry it into the direction of Dzemaili who slots in from a couple of yards out.
We are going to have two minutes of time added on at the end of the half.
GOAL! Napoli 3-2 Inter Milan (Nagatomo)
Right at the end of the half Inter have pulled a goal back. Guarin does brilliantly to work some space in the box, and he pulls it across to Nagatomo who slots in at the back post.
HALF TIME: Napoli 3-2 Inter Milan
It's half time, and we have had an amazing half of football here in Naples. The attacking play from both teams has been brilliant and surely there is plenty more action to come in the second half!
After falling behind Inter came into the game and drew level, but two goals in the space of three minutes from Napoli turned it in the home side's favour. That late strike from Nagatomo will ensure that they go into the second half positive of scoring again.
A look at the half time stats shows us that Inter have seen 59% of the ball and have had seven shots on goal, which is just one more than Napoli have managed.
If you recall last weekend's Serie A match, Inter were involved in another goal feast, as they drew 3-3 with Parma. Udinese's last game at home finished in a 3-3 draw, so the signs are positive of more goals this evening.
The players are making their way back out of the tunnel and we are not far away from the second half.
Napoli kick off and get the half started.
YELLOW CARD! Alvarez picks up a booking for a late challenge on Mertens.
Alvarez does well to get to the byline and pulls the ball across the middle but the defence do well to get it clear.
Rolando has saved his team from conceding a fourth. Higuain is slid through on goal, and the defender pulls of a stunning tackle from behind to take the ball away, with the striker poised to shoot.
Palacio is slid down the right hand side and chips a lovely ball into the middle, that is headed behind by Maggio.
The corner is whipped into the middle, but the referee has spotted an infringement and hands the home side a free kick.
Higuain plays a stunning long range ball over the top to Insigne. He gets to the byline, and beats a defender, but sees his curling effort saved by the keeper.
Nagatomo comes close for Inter as he latches onto Palacio's knock down, but his powerful low drive is well held by the keeper as it looked to be heading for the bottom corner.
The pace of this game hasn't slowed down for a second and Napoli break forward with Mertens running at the back line before sliding in Insigne, who sees his cross blocked for a corner.
CHANCE! The corner is cleared to Callejon on the edge of the box, who hammers in a low drive, that takes a slight deflection and goes just wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION: Inter make the first change of the game as Kovacic replaces Taider.
Guarin picks up a loose ball from Maggio, and runs at the defence, before pushing it past Fernandez, but the defender does well to block his run and clear the danger.
Nagatomo does brilliantly to weave his way into the box past two defenders. He pulls it back looking for Palacio, but the keeper gets down low to palm the ball clear.
CHANCE! Rafael has made a stunning save to keep his side in the lead! Palacio delivers a low ball into the box from the right, that Guarin looks certain to slot into the net, but the keeper somehow manages to push his effort behind.
Rafael is down after making that save and there is some concern from the Napoli players. They have already had Reina out injured recently and won't want any more problems.
The keeper is up and the corner is eventually whipped in, but it is headed over the bar and Napoli will have a goal kick.
RED CARD! Alvarez has been sent off for Inter Milan for an intentional handball. It was his second yellow, but it was an incredibly harsh call by the referee, as the ball seemed to bounce up and hit his hand. Inter will have to come from behind with 10 men.
Despite going down to 10 men, Inter are seeing plenty of the ball and are looking for gaps in the home side's defence to exploit.
Nagatomo is lucky to avoid a booking after late challenge from behind on Maggio, that leaves the defender lying on the floor.
SUBSTITUTION: Napoli bring off Higuain, and Behrami replaces him.
Palacio gets on the end of a through ball, but his shot from out wide lacks any power and it is hit straight at the keeper.
GOAL! Napoli 4-2 Inter Milan (Callejon)
Napoli have scored their fourth of the night and surely have sealed the win. Insigne does brilliantly to burst into the box and drive a cross to the back post where Callejon is on hand to slot the ball home from close range.
Mertens comes within inches of scoring a fifth goal for Napoli. Callejon lifts a delightful ball to the back post, and the winger stretches out a leg to poke the ball goalwards, but he directs it just wide.
SUBSTITUTION: Armero comes on for Napoli, with Mertens making way.
That fourth goal has drained the life out of Inter who would have been confident of getting back on level terms if Alvarez had not been dismissed. They have been unlucky, but Napoli have taken their chances in this game.
Inter look to pull a goal back and Nagatomo lifts a teasing ball into the middle, but Rafael is out quickly to claim under pressure from Palacio.
CHANCE! Dzemaili receives the ball just outside the box and fires in a drive that Handanovic pushes over. The referee didn't see the keeper's touch though, and he gives a goal kick.
We are going to have five minutes of added time.
SUBSTITUTION: Reveillere goes off and is replaced by Pandev.
PENALTY TO NAPOLI! Pandev has just come onto the pitch and wins a penalty after being fouled by Ranocchia. He steps up to take it, but his low drive to the bottom corner is brilliantly saved by Handanovic.
FULL TIME: Napoli 4-2 Inter Milan
A superb game of football has been brought to an end. Napoli have won to close the gap between them and Roma to two points. As for Inter, they will rue the referee's decision to send off Alverez and are fifth in the table, seven points behind Napoli.
That's all we've got time for after an enthralling encounter in Naples. Please stay with us for all of the latest news, but from me, it's goodnight!
Written by
Alex Meyers
Alex Meyers
