Napoli

MILAN: Napoli suffered a shock exit from the Coppa Italia in a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Cremonese on Tuesday...

Referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi, who was promoted to the top rung of Italian football’s match officials in the summer, was flanked by assistants Francesca Di Monte and Tiziana Trasciatti. Tuesday’s match was also the first time an all-female on-pitch team of officials took charge of a match featuring two Serie A clubs. Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotka was the only player to miss a penalty, as Cremonese, who have yet to win in Serie A this season and are bottom of the table, went through to the next round.

The last-place Serie A team, playing in torrential rains under a new head coach, held its nerve against the league leader to triumph in a penalty shootout.

Kings of Serie A they may be, but unbeatable Napoli SSC will not have a shot at any other domestic silverware this season after crashing out of the Coppa ...

Just as Napoli looked set to walk off with the win, Cremonese tied things up three minutes before the final whistle. Unexpectedly, it was Cremonese that opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a goal from Charles Pickel. Napoli lost on penalties to Cremonese after neither team was able to break a 2-2 draw over 120 minutes in the semifinal clash at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples.

New coach Davide Ballardini steered his side to a huge upset as 10-man Cremonese eliminated Napoli from the Italian Cup.

Cremonese’s chances of getting anything from the match appeared to diminish when defender Leonardo Sernicola was sent off 10 minutes into extra time following a second yellow card but it held on and emerged victorious from the shootout with Afena-Gyan converting the final penalty. Simeone headed Napoli ahead shortly after and it seemed as if the home side was set to ease to victory before a header from Felix Afena-Gyan with three minutes remaining saw Cremonese force extra time. Cremonese goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi parried a rocket from Tanguy Ndombele but then went to ground as he attempted to deny Giovanni Simeone, who headed off the crossbar, and Juan Jesus turned in the rebound.

Napoli are already looking to the future and there are reports of an initial approach for Wolverhampton Wanderers attacking winger Adama Traore.

[Hirving Lozano](https://football-italia.net/player/hirving-lozano/), who is not part of Napoli’s future plans and will leave to avoid running down the contract to June 2024. [Cristiano](https://football-italia.net/player/cristiano/) Giuntoli is making plans to reinforce the squad next summer. [Napoli](/teams/napoli) are already looking to the future and there are reports of an initial approach for Wolverhampton Wanderers attacking winger Adama Traore.

Cremonese had taken the lead, then clawed an equaliser in the final minutes for 2-2 and held out in extra time down to 10 men, eventually eliminating ...

[Juan Jesus](https://football-italia.net/player/juan-jesus/) had to make a decisive block to prevent a second goal on the pull-back for [Giacomo Quagliata](https://football-italia.net/player/giacomo-quagliata/) from 15 yards. [Eljif Elmas](https://football-italia.net/player/eljif-elmas/) got back for a well-timed tackle on Okereke and Simeone’s overhead kick didn’t quite come off, but Hendry needed a crucial block to turn the Elmas finish onto the side-netting after great work from Cholito. [Juan Jesus](https://football-italia.net/player/juan-jesus/) 33 (N), Simeone 36 (N), Afena-Gyan 87 (C) It remained a frustrating experience until However, VAR and the referee waved play on. Cremonese made their debut under new coach Davide Ballardini, having sacked Massimiliano Alvini at the weekend.