Napoli secure Champions League qualification with victory over relegated Pisa

[p]The hosts entered the clash with little to play for, having already been relegated to the second tier, putting the onus on their opponents to set the tempo as they looked to secure a top-four spot.[/p][p]Prior to kick-off, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pisa/roasMsOT/"]Pisa[/a] had scored a European top-five league low of 18 non-penalty goals this term, and that told in the first half as Napoli dominated proceedings.[/p][p]And, after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hojlund-rasmus/0lk9Mt7D/"]Rasmus Hojlund[/a] headed wide and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alisson-santos/tYb4OysQ/"]Alisson Santos[/a] was denied by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semper-adrian/hEY0fdTF/"]Adrian Semper[/a], the visitors broke the deadlock midway through the half when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mctominay-scott/A7S3y397/"]Scott McTominay[/a] buried Højlund’s first-time lay-off into the bottom corner. [/p][p]Before long, the Partenopei were two up, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rrahmani-amir/8Sw4X8wk/"]Amir Rrahmani[/a] headed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/elmas-elif/vDVD8EAA/"]Eljif Elmas[/a]’ corner over the line despite Semper’s best efforts. Elmas was a constant threat and forced a fingertip stop from the home goalkeeper as half-time beckoned.[/p][p]The Torri, meanwhile, had to wait until the last kick of the first half for their best chance of the period, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meret-alex/EBsz2tTd/"]Alex Meret[/a] closed down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stojilkovic-filip/Ey5DEspL/"]Filip Stojilkovic[/a] inside the box to make an important intervention.[/p][image alt="Pisa - Napoli match stats" id="7579460a-6d92-45a9-a924-33d5cf286a00" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="6d7c9338-14b2-4f5e-9f7a-9286ad4fb9f8" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]After struggling to provide any danger before the break, Pisa were significantly better at the start of the second half. In fact, Stojilkovic needed fewer than five minutes to test Meret before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leris-mehdi/6uk6H0Ai/"]Mehdi Leris[/a] headed over the crossbar from the resulting corner.[/p][p]Pisa’s early energy soon dissipated, though, allowing Napoli to retake control of the match without needing to pepper Semper’s goal. McTominay could have secured the points with a header midway through the half, but could only direct it over the crossbar.[/p][p]In the end, Hojlund sealed victory in injury time, stretching out a leg to get on the end of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mazzocchi-pasquale/xr29B9AI/"]Pasquale Mazzocchi[/a]’s drilled cross and directing the ball home.[/p][p]A comfortable victory for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/conte-antonio/23vSAc12/"]Antonio Conte[/a]’s outfit guarantees a place at the continent’s top table, carrying a three-point lead over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ac-milan/8Sa8HInO/"]AC Milan[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]AS Roma[/a] heading into the final game of the season to leave second place well within their grasp.[/p][p]Pisa, meanwhile, have now won just one of their past 26 SA fixtures, and will end their term with a trip to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lazio/URcSl02h/"]Lazio[/a] next weekend.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rrahmani-amir/8Sw4X8wk/"]Amir Rrahmani[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/napoli-69Dxbc61/pisa-roasMsOT/summary/stats/?mid=fk8mGEP8"]Check out all the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/p]