Half-Time Report: Marek Hamsik gives Napoli slender interval lead

Napoli hold a slender 1-0 lead over Slovan Bratislava at half time in their Group I meeting this evening in the Europa League.

The visitors managed to find their passing rhythm early on, although it was not until the 20th minute until Dusan Pernis was truly called into action, being forced to keep out Jonathan de Guzman's low drive.

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Duvan Zapata was the next Partenopei player to come close to making the breakthrough, only for his effort to be kept out thanks to a fine defensive block inside the box.

Napoli, who came into this game on the back of an inconsistent run in Serie A, continued to pile on the pressure, with Marek Hamsik firing away a strike which Pernis once more kept out.

The opening goal did come before the interval, though, and it was Hamsik who found it when he headed home Kalidou Koulibaly's clipped ball into the box.