Favorite Goals: Pato Completes Napoli Rout

It is late February in 2011 and Napoli visit the San Siro for match day 27. Milan, led by Max Allegri, are headed for the Scudetto. Napoli and Inter are the chasing teams. Milan’s starting line up is:

Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Jankulovski; Gattuso, van Bommel, Flamini; Robinho; Ibrahimovic, Pato

The first half was less than impressive but the second half got under way quickly as Milan were awarded a hand ball penalty which Ibra converted. Pato and Ibra then combined well and the former provided an assist for Kevin Prince Boateng to make it 2-0. The Brazilian confident and in good form kept running at the Napoli defense. The third goal came when van Bommel headed long to clear the ball from the edge of the box. The header turned into an assist when Pato took on the ball at pace and forced the Napoli defenders to retreat and retreat. He then placed the ball with an accurate long shot into the top corner of the Napoli net, while ignoring the chance to pass the ball to Ibra who had rushed into attack after him. Morgan De Sanctis in goal and every Napoli player was dejected as mass celebrations engulfed the stadium.

The match ended 3-0 as Milan marched on.
Highlights of the match and the goal below.