Frosinone stuns Napoli 4-0 to reach Italian Cup quarters for first time
Frosinone’s Giuseppe Caso, center, 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Frosinone’s Enzo Barrenechea, left, celebrates after scoring the first 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo looks dejected during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Napoli’s Giovanni Simeone, left, Frosinone’s Caleb Okoli battle for the ball during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Frosinone’s Giuseppe Caso, center, 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Frosinone’s Giuseppe Caso, center, 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Frosinone’s Enzo Barrenechea, left, celebrates after scoring the first 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Frosinone’s Enzo Barrenechea, left, celebrates after scoring the first 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo looks dejected during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo looks dejected during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via 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. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Napoli’s Giovanni Simeone, left, Frosinone’s Caleb Okoli battle for the ball during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Napoli’s Giovanni Simeone, left, Frosinone’s Caleb Okoli battle for the ball during the Italian Cup soccer match between Napoli and Frosinone at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
NAPLES, Italy (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.
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