Naples — Napoli reached the Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare after a flamboyant 4-2 victory over Ajax on Wednesday maintained their 100 percent start in this year's competition.
Luciano Spalletti's side have four wins from four and a perfect 12 points at the top of Group A thanks to Hirving Lozano, Giacomo Raspadori, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen, whose goals took their European tally to an incredible 17.
Nine points separate the Serie A leaders from third-placed Ajax, who can still make it through with two wins from their final two matches against Liverpool and Rangers.
Alfred Schreuder's team gave a much better account of themselves than they did in the 6-1 thrashing Napoli inflicted on them in Amsterdam last week and kept the game alive until the final seconds through Davy Klaassen and Steven Bergwijn.
But they couldn't stop an irrepressible Napoli team who are yet to lose a game this season in Italy or on the continent and had a packed Stadio Maradona dreaming that this could be their year.
AFP