Højlund stars as Napoli beat Milan to reach final

Rasmus Højlund starred for Napoli as the defending Serie A champion beat AC Milan 2-0 to reach the final of the Italian Super Cup. The former Manchester United player set up one goal and scored the other to send Napoli into Monday’s final. Napoli will play the winner of Friday’s other semifinal between Italian Cup winner Bologna and Serie A runner-up Inter Milan. The Italian Super Cup, played in Saudi Arabia, involves the winners and runners-up of last season’s Serie A and Italian Cup. Milan lost to Bologna in the Italian Cup final.

The Rossoneri, who won the Italian Super Cup last season, were wearing special jerseys with their names in Arabic lettering on the back. Both Milan and Napoli were dealing with numerous injury problems but Napoli welcomed back Romelu Lukaku to the squad for the first time since he tore a muscle in August. Lukaku, who was most likely included in case of penalties, was on the bench and celebrated both goals.

Napoli took the lead shortly before halftime. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan got a fingertip on Højlund’s low cross but only succeeded in pushing it even more into the path of David Neres, who tapped in at the back post. Højlund got on the scoresheet himself in the 64th minute with an angled shot following another smart through ball from Leonardo Spinazzola, who had also passed to Højlund for the opener.