Ricardo Pepi scored off the bench as PSV Eindhoven came from behind to thrash Italian champions Napoli 6-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
United States striker Pepi, who only returned from injury at the weekend, scored PSV’s fifth goal just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 84th minute.
Pepi’s fellow U.S. international Sergiño Dest also started on the bench after PSV head coach Peter Bosz confirmed he had been left out of the starting lineup as punishment for arriving late.
It mattered little for PSV, however, as they became the first Dutch side to score six goals in Europe’s top competition since Ajax in October 1979.
The Italian champions led through Scott McTominay’s 31st-minute goal but found themselves trailing within eight minutes courtesy of Alessandro Buongiorno’s own goal and an Ismael Saibari strike.
Dennis Man netted twice in the second half, either side of Lorenzo Lucca’s dismissal for the visitors, with Couhaib Driouech also on target late on after McTominay got his second for Napoli.
It means a fourth successive defeat on the road for Antonio Conte’s team, following the European loss at Manchester City and Serie A setbacks at AC Milan and Torino.
Man brought a good low save out of Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic at his near post in the 10th minute. When Joey Veerman delivered the resulting corner, Guus Til headed it narrowly over.
The home side had the ball in the Napoli net in the 18th minute but Saibari’s strike was ruled out for offside.
The visitors took the lead when Leonardo Spinazzola crossed from the left and Scotland midfielder McTominay powered a header past goalkeeper Matej Kovar, who got a hand to the effort but could not keep it out.
PSV levelled four minutes later, with Napoli defender Buongiorno, under pressure from Til, turning Ivan Perisic’s cross into his own goal.
The hosts were ahead in the 38th minute when Til sent Saibari racing clear from the halfway line and the Morocco international lifted the ball over Milinkovic-Savic.
Antonio Conte’s Italian champions started the second half brightly but were stunned in the 54th minute when PSV made it 3-1 through Romania international Man.
The summer signing from Parma started and finished a move which also involved Veerman and Mauro Júnior, converting the latter’s dinked pass from close range.
Til curled an effort wide in the 64th minute as PSV, playing with confidence, threatened a fourth goal.
Man saw a shot blocked by Buongiorno soon after, then Jerdy Schouten curled a shot against the post.
A bad night for the visitors got worse in the 77th minute when Lucca was dismissed, apparently for a gesture to the referee after conceding a corner following a duel with half-time substitute Armando Obispo.
It was 4-1 with 10 minutes remaining when Man cut in from the left and beat Milinkovic-Savic with a powerful left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty box.
McTominay headed Napoli’s second five minutes from time but the hosts restored their three-goal lead a minute later when Pepi tapped in from close range.
Driouech, who set up PSV’s fifth, completed the scoring soon after with a right-foot shot.
Information from PA and ESPN Research was used in this report.
