Frosinone Stuns Napoli 4-0 to Reach Italian Cup Quarters for First Time 

Frosinone's Giuseppe Caso, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)
Frosinone's Giuseppe Caso, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)
TT

Frosinone Stuns Napoli 4-0 to Reach Italian Cup Quarters for First Time 

Frosinone's Giuseppe Caso, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)
Frosinone's Giuseppe Caso, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)

Frosinone’s best cup run continued as it stunned defending Serie A champion Napoli by winning 4-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Tuesday to reach the Italian Cup quarterfinals.

Frosinone, which had never even reached the round of 16 previously, will next face either Juventus or Salernitana.

Napoli rested a number of its key players, including Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, although it brought on the key duo in the 63rd minute, with the score 0-0.

Frosinone took the lead just two minutes later when Enzo Barrenechea was left relatively unmarked to head Luca Garritano’s corner into the far top side of the net.

It was Barrenechea’s first goal for Frosinone after joining on loan from Juventus — the team the 22-year-old Argentine could now face in the quarterfinals.

An even worse defensive error saw the visitors double their advantage five minutes later as a woeful pass from Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo saw Giuseppe Caso race through one-on-one with home goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini and he deposited into the bottom right corner.

Di Lorenzo made another mistake in the final minute when he fouled Matías Soulé in the penalty area and Walid Cheddira — who is on loan from Napoli — converted the resulting spotkick.

Substitute Abdou Harroui also scored in stoppage time to cap a wonderful night for Frosinone, which celebrated joyfully in front of the visiting fans.

Giovanni Simeone had a goal ruled out for Napoli in the first half for handball in the buildup.

Frosinone will play its quarterfinal on Jan. 10. Juventus hosts Salernitana on Jan. 4.



Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
TT

Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

With Robert Lewandowski on target again, Barcelona extended its perfect start to the Spanish league season.
Lewandowski scored his seventh goal in as many matches and Barcelona won its seventh in a row in the league by defeating Getafe 1-0 at home on Wednesday.
The triumph gives Barcelona its second-best league start ever, equaling the seven victories it also earned at the start of the 2017-18 season. The Catalan club won eight straight to start the 2013-14 season, The Associated Press reported.
“I'm really proud about my team. They fight 90 minutes or 95 minutes," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. “But also I'm very proud because the fans they realized that we needed them and they give everything. It's a good connection at the moment and I'm really happy about that.”
Barcelona has outscored its opponents 23-5 in its first seven games this season. It has a four-point lead over defending champion Real Madrid, which on Tuesday beat Alaves 3-2.
Lewandowski got his league-leading seventh goal from close range in the 19th minute. He picked up a loose ball inside the area after Getafe goalkeeper David Soria couldn't hold on to a high cross into the area.
The Poland striker, who had scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Villarreal on Sunday, was replaced by Pedri in the 77th.
Lewandowski's goal was Barcelona's 6,500 in 3,035 league matches, according to the club.
Iñaki Peña started in goal in place of Marc-André ter Stegen, who sustained a serious knee injury in the team's previous league match.
Barcelona players entered the field with a T-shirt with words of support for Ter Stegen, who is one of the team's captains.
Getafe, which nearly equalized with Borja Mayoral from close range in stoppage time, remains winless and in second-to-last place.
“That was a big scare, but the ball didn't goal in and we left with the three points,” Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde said.
Also Wednesday, Girona and Rayo Vallecano drew 0-0 in Girona.
Barcelona plays at Osasuna on Saturday. It then visits Alaves the following weekend.