UCL | Copenhagen 1-1 Napoli: Failure to beat 10 men could prove costly

Scott McTominay celebrates scoring for Napoli against Copenhagen in the Champions League

Napoli wasted a golden opportunity to get their Champions League campaign back on track, failing to beat 10-man FC Copenhagen with a Scott McTominay header only getting a point.

This was a pure head-to-head for position, as both were on seven points and risked early European elimination. The injury crisis was piling up, as Matteo Politano and Amir Rrahmani joined David Neres, Alex Meret, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour on the absentee list, but Antonio Vergara was preferred to transfer-listed Noa Lang. Magnus Mattsson was out with an ankle problem, but ex-Atalanta striker Andreas Cornelius was upfront for a Copenhagen team who hadn’t played since December 10, managing one point from the first four games, then beating Kairat Almaty and Villarreal 3-2.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Rasmus Hojlund was back on home turf and his right-foot curler skimmed the far top corner from just inside the penalty area.

Vergara was so close to scoring on his full Champions League debut when shrugging off a defender to drill inches wide.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo forced a save at the base of the near post after one of numerous Napoli corners, but the game changed when Thomas Delaney went into a horrible high tackle that caught Stanislav Lobotka on the side of the knee with his studs. It was only a yellow card, until the VAR On-Field Review saw the decision changed to red.

Thomas Delaney is sent off for Copenhagen following a VAR review 🔴

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 20, 2026

Napoli took the lead soon after, as Eljif Elmas floated in a corner for the towering Scott McTominay header to break the deadlock.

Scott McTominay does it again for Napoli! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The Scotsman is their top scorer in the Champions League this season 👏

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 20, 2026

Vergara tested the goalkeeper with a sweeping finish off the inside of the left foot and Hojlund’s low drive was deflected wide.

Despite being down to 10 men, Copenhagen still threatened with a Madsen volley from six yards on the corner straight at Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

Transfer-listed Noa Lang came on and almost set up Matias Olivera for a second goal, but it was parried at the near post.

Copenhagen got themselves back into the game when Alessandro Buongiorno clumsily put his leg across Elyounoussi for a penalty. Jordan Larsson stepped up and the spot-kick was parried by Milinkovic-Savic, but only back into his path to score on the rebound.

McTominay’s header was wasted, but Kotarski flew to fingertip the Matias Olivera header out from under the bar on a Lorenzo Lucca flick-on.

Copenhagen 1-1 Napoli

McTominay 49 (N), J Larsson 72 (C)

Sent off: Delaney 35 (C)

Saved penalty: J Larsson 72 (C)

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