Napoli collapse late as Porto win 4-1 in the Champions League

Porto 4-1 Napoli, and there is no comfortable way to read it. For 70 minutes Napoli were still in the game, at least on the scoreboard. Then they switched off completely, in exactly the phase where a squad of this quality should come through.

A bad start, then a way back

The night went wrong from the first whistle. Vergara was booked after a minute, and by the 11th Porto were ahead through Bednarek, set up by Veiga.

Anguissa, Rrahmani and McTominay also went into the referee's book before the break. Four bookings in just over half an hour is the sign of a side chasing the game.

McTominay was the one who put it right, equalising in the 43rd minute. Napoli went in level at half-time, and that was something to build on.

Two warnings ignored

Porto came out stronger. Aghehowa came on in the 56th minute, and in the same minute Bednarek hit the woodwork. In the 63rd it was Veiga's turn to hit it. That was two clear warnings in seven minutes, and Napoli changed nothing.

Porto brought on Gimenez in the 67th minute. Four minutes later he set up Veiga for 2-1.

Allegri, back on the bench after his suspension, finally acted in the 78th minute, sending on Lang and Giovane. Two minutes later Porto scored a third: Kiwior, from an assist by the just-introduced Hwang. Lucca came on in the 82nd, but the game had long been over.

Marín was sent off in the 88th minute, and in the 90th Aghehowa scored from the penalty spot for 4-1. Between the 71st and the 90th minute Napoli conceded three goals in 19 minutes.

The numbers at the end leave no doubt. Porto had 19 shots to Napoli's 11, and eight on target to six. This was not an even contest.

The timing was wrong

This match confirms what the fanbase has been saying for days. Napoli find no answers when a game turns, and the corrections come too late. Porto's substitutes made a difference. Napoli's arrived after the two shots against the woodwork had already shown where the night was heading.

The coach answers for the timing of his decisions, and on Wednesday night that timing was wrong. In Europe a team is also judged by how it loses, and a collapse like this over the final quarter of an hour and more is not easily filed away.

Lazio come to the Maradona on Sunday 8 November at 12:30 CET (11:30 UK, 06:30 ET). Napoli need to show they can react there, because words will no longer be enough.