English club, Leicester City, has crashed out of this season’s Europa League competition after losing 2-3 to Napoli
By Kehinde Okeowo
One of two Premier League clubs in this season’s Europa League, Leicester City, has been eliminated from the competition after losing 2-3 to Serie A side, Napoli.
The visitors went into the match needing just a draw to qualify, while their host must win to ensure passage into the next round of the competition.
Leicester started poorly, as they conceded as early as the 4th minute when Adam Ounas opened the scoring for the home side to give them a 1-0 lead.
It went from bad to worse for the English side, when Napoli doubled their advantage through Eljif Elmas in the 24 minutes, to make it 2-0 to the host.
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Leicester responded in the 27th minute through Jonny Evans and reduced the deficit to 2-1. Thereafter, K Dewsbury-Hall ensured parity was restored in the 33rd minute.
Napoli took the lead once again in the 53rd minute after Eljif Elmas converted an assist from Geovanni Di Lorenzo to score a brace and the third goal for the host.
Leicester rallied for an equaliser towards the end of the match but the Serie side did an Italian job on them, by staying resolute at the back.
The match ended 3-2 in favour of Napoli, who moved on to the next stage of the competition with Spartak Moscow who topped the group, at the expense of Leicester. The club in 4th position, Legia Warsaw, are also out.
It is also the end of European adventure for the Nigerian trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, and the Nigerian-born Ademola Lookman, who will now shift focus to the league, Carabao and FA Cups.
EUROPA LEAGUE RESULTS
GROUP A
Lyon 1 vs Rangers 1
Sparta Prague 2 vs Brøndby IF 0
GROUP B
Real Sociedad 3 vs PSV Eindhoven 0
SK Sturm Graz 1 vs Monaco 1
GROUP C
Legia Warsaw 0 vs Spartak Moscow 1
Napoli 3 vs Leicester 2
GROUP D
Fenerbahçe 1 vs Frankfurt 1
Royal Antwerp 1 vs Olympiakos 0
GROUP E
Lazio 0 vs Galatasaray 0
Marseille 1 vs Lokomotiv Moscow 0
GROUP F
Ludogorets 0 vs FC Midtjylland 0
Sporting Braga 1 vs Red Star Belgrade1
GROUP G
Celtic 3 vs Real Betis 2
Ferencvárosi TC 1 vs B Leverkusen 0
GROUP H
KRC Genk 0 vs Rapid Vienna 1
West Ham 0 vs Dinamo Zagreb 1