Napoli 4-1 Liverpool Zielinski sparkles as Reds thrashed in Champions League opener

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Piotr Zielinski struck twice and a sisted another as Liverpools poor start to the season continued with a humbling 4-1 defeat at Napoli Larry Johnson Jersey in their Champions League opener.Jurgen Klopps side have underwhelmed in their first six Premier League games, winning just twice, and were behind after only five minutes in Naples following Zielinskis penalty.Ali son denied Victor Osimhens spot-kick just 13 minutes later, but Napoli were 3-0 up at half-time after strikes from Andre-Frank Zambo Angui sa and Giovanni Simeone, the latter on his Champions League debut.Zielinski finished past Ali son again after the interval before Luiz Diaz responded with a bending effort a mere consolation goal for Liverpool in the Group A encounter. Osimhen rounded Ali son before striking the post with just a minute played, but Napoli were soon ahead after James Milner handled Zielinskis effort inside the area.Zielinski found the bottom-left corner from the resulting penalty and another spot-kick arrived soon after when VAR sent referee Carlos del Cerro Grande to check a Virgil van Dijk foul on Osimhen, who was then denied by Ali son diving to his right.Van Dijk cleared off the line with the goal gaping for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia but Napoli doubled their lead when Zielinski teed up Angui sa, who fired under the onrushing Ali son.Alex Meret tipped away a goal-bound Van Dijk header before Simeone, on for the injured Osimhen, turned Kvaratskhelias driven cro s into an empty net on the stroke of half-time.Zielinski doubled his account just two minutes after the break, dinking over Ali son on the rebound following Simeones pa s, before Diaz curled into the bottom-right corner after Andy Robertsons offload.Meret pushed a powerful Diaz header over from Trent Alexander-Arnolds cro s but Liverpool were unable to recover after a toothle s first-half showing.What does it mean? Liverpools group-stage run ends as Napoli struggles continueLiverpool cruised to six wins from as many group-stage games in last years competition but their attempts to become the first English side to win seven straight such matches ended abruptly.The Reds have conceded the first goal in five games in all competitions this season, the joint-most of any Premier League side, and were never going to recover after finding themselves three down at half-time in the Champions Tyreek Hill Jersey League for just a fourth time.Liverpools third Champions League defeat at Napoli in the last five seasons leaves Group A wide open after the first matchday, in which Ajax smashed Rangers Christian Okoye Jersey 4-0 in Wednesdays other game. Kvaratskhelia leaves Trent spinningKlopp heaped praise on Luciano Spallettis interesting project before the clash and pinpointed Zielinski as the main threat and the midfielder responded with two goals and an a sist.But Kvaratskhelia should also take the plaudits after regularly tormenting Alexander-Arnold, creating a team-high three chances one of those the a sist for Simeones goal before his 57th-minute removal.Van Dijk divesinVan Dijk epitomises Klopps revolution at Liverpool, with his calmne s and authority in defence characterising the dominant Reds, but his performances have left much to be desired in recent weeks.The centre-back fouled Osimhen for the second spot-kick, the second penalty he has conceded in his last seven appearances for the Reds. He had previously not given one away in 150 games in all competitions.Whats next?Liverpool will aim to recover when they return to Premier League action at home to Wolves on Saturday, while Napoli hostSpezia in Serie A on the same day.