Benitez reaches first final with Napoli

Two goals in three second-half minutes helped Napoli reach the Italian Cup final with a 3-0 win over AS Roma yesterday morning (Singapore time) in the second leg of their semi-final in Naples, to clinch the tie 5-3 on aggregate.

Rafael Benitez's side, who will face Fiorentina in the final, took the lead on the night and levelled the tie when Jose Callejon scored a close-range header from right back Christian Maggio's perfectly flighted cross after 33 minutes.

An attacking blitz from Napoli in the opening minutes of the second half saw Gonzalo Higuain double their lead from a corner and Jorginho net his first Napoli goal to seal their place in May's final.

Kevin Strootman compounded Roma coach Rudi Garcia's misery by getting a red card in the 79th minute.

- Reuters.