Napoli beat Fiorentina, win Coppa Italia

Rome, May 4 (IANS) A Ten-man Napoli won their fifth Coppa Italia with a 3-1 victory over Fiorentina in a scintillating final which was delayed for 45 minutes by crowd disturbances.

Napoli went 2-0 ahead in the first 20 minutes Saturday thanks to a brace from Lorenzo Insigne before Juan Vargas' goal put the 'Violas' back into the game. Dries Mertens wrapped up the game with a goal in stoppage time, reports Xinhua.

Napoli were reduced to 10 men after Gokhan Inler was given marching orders.

The game kicked off 45 minutes late as the supporters protested after hearing a Napoli fan had been seriously hurt outside the stadium. Napoli captain Marek Hamsik came up to speak to the fans and calmed them down, making it possible for the game to begin.

Napoli raced ahead (11th minute) as Hamsik put in a perfectly-weighted ball into the path of Insigne, who curled a right-footed shot into the far corner. Insigne doubled the lead (17th) when Higuain pulled the ball across the goal, aiming for Hamsik but instead found Insigne whose shot was deflected past Neto off Nenad Tomovic.

Vargas pulled one goal back for Fiorentina (28th) when he lashed a powerful left-footed volley past Jose Reina.

Giuseppe Rossi came in the 72nd minute to end his five-month injury absence just a month before the World Cup.

Fiorentina stepped up their attack after Inler received his second yellow in the 79th minute, leaving the 'Azzurri' with just 10-men.

Josip Ilicic wasted the best chance to equalise five minutes from time after being put through by Alessandro Matri as he placed his shot beyond the far post.

Napoli then broke with Jose Callejon threading a pass through to Mertens, who clinched the Coppa Italia for Napoli by picking his spot in the far corner of the goal.