[UC] Napoli prove too strong for Vllaznia

Napoli are well placed to advance from the UEFA Cup second qualifying round after scoring three unanswered first-leg goals at Vllaznia Shkoder.

Two strikes from Inacio Pia and a late addition from German Denis gave the Serie A side a commanding advantage ahead of their home decider on 28 August.

It was the Albanian champions, though, who started well at the Loro Borici Stadium, and Xheyahir Sukaj had two sights of goal within the first few minutes, but both his long-range effort and header were off target.

The visitors countered with Denis arriving just too late to turn in Marek Hamsik's pass. However, Napoli broke the deadlock after 28 minutes when midfielder Christian Maggio made a surging run and crossed cleverly for Pia whose volley surprised home goalkeeper Bishani Olsi.

The same combination linked up again five minutes before half-time but this time the striker's shot went wide.

The 1989 UEFA Cup winners did double their lead a minute after the break, though, when Pia beat Admir Teli to the ball and finished past Olsi. The hosts fought back, Sukaj forcing Napoli keeper Gennaro Iezzo into an excellent save but the killer blow for Vllaznia came with fifteen minutes remaining, when Denis latched on to Roberto De Zerbi's pass to finish the scoring.

UEFA Cup
Second Qualifying Round, First Leg
Southern section
Siroki Brijeg 1-2 Besiktas
Braga 1-0 Zrinjski
Borac Cacak 1-0 Lokomotiv Sofia
Vojvodina Novi Sad 0-0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Aris Salonica 1-0 Slaven Koprivnica
Litex Lovech 0-0 Hapoel Kiryat Shmona
Deportivo La Coruna 0-0 Hajduk Split
Apoel Nicosia 2-2 Red Star Belgrade
Vllaznia Shkoder 0-3 Napoli
Maccabi Netanya 1-1 Cherno More
AEK Athens 0-1 Omonia Nicosia
Central/Eastern section
Liepajas Metalurgs 0-2 Vaslui
FC Zurich 1-1 Sturm Graz
Stuttgart 2-1 Gyor
Lech Poznan 6-0 Grasshoppers
Liberec 1-2 Zilina
WIT C-C Austria Vienna *
Young Boys Berne 4-1 Debrecen
Legia Warsaw 1-2 FC Moscow
Dnipro 3-2 Bellinzona
Interblock Ljubljana 0-2 Hertha Berlin
Suduva 1-4 Red Bull Salzburg
Northern section
Djurgardens 2-1 Rosenborg
Queen of the South 1-2 Nordsjaelland
Gent 2-1 Kalmar
Manchester City 0-1 Midtjylland
Honka Espoo 0-0 Viking Stavanger
FC Haka 0-4 Brondby
Stabaek 2-1 Rennes
FC Copehangen 3-1 Lillestrom
Elfsborg 2-2 St Patrick's
FH Hafnarfjordur 1-4 Aston Villa

* The first leg of WIT-Austria Vienna has been cancelled and the tie will be played as a one-off game in Vienna on 28 August due to the political situation in Georgia.

Source: UEFA