SOCCER: Napoli out of Champions League after 3-2 loss to Chelsea who seal last 16 spot

NAPLES, Italy – Napoli’s Champions League campaign ended in disappointment after a 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday, with Joao Pedro scoring twice in the second half to secure the visitors a spot in the last 16.

Chelsea’s first away win of the tournament lifted them to sixth place in the group standings with 16 points, while Serie A champions Napoli finished at the bottom with just eight points.

The top eight teams advance directly to the last 16, while those placed ninth to 24th enter the two-legged playoffs for the remaining eight spots.

Chelsea had already guaranteed at least a playoff spot, but Napoli needed a win to keep their hopes alive. Despite coming from a goal down to lead at halftime, the hosts fell short.

Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea ahead with a penalty in the 19th minute. Napoli responded quickly with two goals in 10 minutes from Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Hojlund to turn the game around before the break.

However, Napoli lost momentum in the second half, allowing Pedro to equalize for Chelsea in the 61st minute and then score the decisive goal eight minutes from time.

“The finishing made the difference; they were much more clinical and precise,” Napoli coach and former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte told Sky Sport. “Joao Pedro made the difference. He’s a really important player for Chelsea.”

Napoli, plagued by injuries, had only five outfield players on the bench, including two youth players with no senior experience and Romelu Lukaku, who has featured for just 11 minutes this season.

“I don’t think a situation like this has happened to any team in the world. Today we have 13 outfield players,” Conte said before kickoff, speaking to Amazon Prime.

Pedro’s Brilliance Turns the Game

Chelsea opened the scoring after Juan Jesus handled the ball defending a free kick, allowing Fernandez to convert a penalty into the bottom corner.

Napoli pressed for an equalizer, and Vergara scored his first goal for the club in the 33rd minute. Receiving a pass from Mathias Olivera, he bypassed Moses Caicedo and spun past Wesley Fofana before placing a low shot into the far corner.

Three minutes before halftime, Napoli doubled their lead. Olivera’s cross found Hojlund, who swept the ball home from just outside the six-yard box.

“The coach said at halftime to stay calm and put our game on the pitch,” Pedro told TNT Sports.

Chelsea drew level thanks to Pedro’s individual brilliance. Picking up the ball outside the area, he turned his marker and unleashed a swerving strike that found the top corner.

Napoli introduced Lukaku late in the game, but Chelsea struck again. Pedro went on a solo run into the box and drilled his shot into the net, sealing the victory.

“There’s still a lot of pride and satisfaction because even with more than half the team missing, we played better than Chelsea and deserved much more,” Conte added. “It’s a shame; we deserved to reach the playoffs.”

-Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Clare Fallon/Reuters