Serie A: Napoli keep CL hopes alive with easy win at Cagliari

Napoli closed to within five points of Roma and a Champions League place after cruising to a comfortable 3-0 Serie A victory at Cagliari.

After Jose Callejon broke the deadlock midway through the first half Napoli never looked back and the mainlanders were two goals to the good at half-time thanks to a blunder from Antonio Balzano.

Substitute Manolo Gabbiadini brought up 16 goals for the season with a long-range finish just before the hour and Napoli safely navigated the rest of the match after Christian Maggio was dismissed.

The win sees Rafael Benitez's men pull three points clear of fifth-placed Sampdoria while Cagliari - nine points adrift of safety - creep ever closer to a return to Serie B.

Paul-Jose M'Poku gave Napoli goalkeeper Mariano Andujar an early feel of the ball with a free-kick but the rest of the half would belong to the visitors.

Gonzalo Higuain drew a comfortable save from Zeljko Brikc in the ninth minute and went even close when his left-footed effort took a heavy deflection off Luca Ceppitelli and veered just wide.

The pressure grew and Cagliari conceded for the first time in the 24th minute.

A smart assist from Marek Hamsik left Callejon all alone in front of Brkic and the Spaniard made no mistake in opening the scoring.

Cagliari then enjoyed a rare opportunity with Callejon reacting quickly to take the ball off M'Poku's feet before he could convert a clear-cut chance

Brkic had to dive across his goalmouth to put a vicious Hamsik effort out for a corner and then, one minute into stoppage time, Cagliari contrived to double Napoli's lead.

Balzano was the unfortunate defender who managed to turn Hamsik's cross into his own net under pressure from Lorenzo Insigne.

Napoli took a while to get going in the second half, prompting Benitez to throw Gabbiadini on for Hamsik shortly before the hour mark.

The switch paid immediate dividends as the young Italy striker quickly tested his left foot's accuracy, the ball sailing straight past a stunned Brkic and into the net.

Napoli would not have everything their own way, however, as in the 65th minute they lost defender Maggio to a second yellow card after he fouled Danilo Avelar.

From that point on the Azzurri dialled down their attacking approach and were comfortable in resisting tame raids from the likes of substitute Andrea Cossu and the frustrating M'Poku.