One nasty ricochet and one clinical striker. One delightful cross and one wasted header. In such moments did a remarkable Europa League campaign meet a cruel and unusual end in Italy.

For 48 minutes Swansea City, nine years removed from League Two, were through on away goals against Diego Maradona’s old pals.

Jonathan De Guzman had levelled soon after Lorenzo Insigne put Napoli in front and then, 20 minutes into the second half and with the score at 1-1, the ball came at a perfect height for Wilfried Bony.

He is the striker with 18 goals in his first season at Swansea, a man who tells his team-mates that what he wants most are headers. He got one last night and headed it at Pepe Reina.

It was an unusual way for the big Ivorian to miss; 11 minutes later, and with only 12 to play, Swansea were stunned at the cruel nature of the goal that floored them.

Dries Martens had sent over a cross that was only faintly threatening and Chico Flores went to clear.

He hit it cleanly enough, but the ball bounced back off Ben Davies and landed perfectly for Gonzalo Higuain. He did the rest and 1-1 became 2-1 and 2-1 became 3-1 as Swansea’s desperation took over. A campaign that included a win at Valencia was over.

See Naples and die, as they say.

‘Moments,’ as Garry Monk said. Swansea City’s head coach was still shaking his head as he sat in front of the press.

Swansea dominated the first leg, blitzing the best team in the competition with their passing. They had chances to win this one outright too. ‘I couldn’t have asked for more over 180 minutes,’ Monk said.

‘We pushed them all the way and had the chances to win five games. The boys should be very proud.’ But this was an opportunity lost if you detract the history and study the two legs.

‘We should have come here with a lead,’ Monk admitted. ‘The players know that, Napoli know that, but it wasn’t to be. But 180 minutes of competing with them, pushing them, shows what a good team we are. Rafa Benitez, meanwhile, wore a big smile. ‘We knew it would be hard,’ he said.

Once again, as last week, Napoli started strongly. By the time Insigne put them in front after 17 minutes they had blown two good chances, first when Raul Albiol headed over and then, more wastefully, when Higuain ran on to Goran Pandev’s flick and shot over the bar.

On each occasion Swansea’s marking was slack but unpunished. The next time they were.Davies played Insigne onside after Higuain’s throughball, while Dwight Tiendalli stopped tracking Insigne’s run to protest for offside. The flag never came and Insigne lobbed Vorm.

They were lucky when Marvin Emnes went clean through after a Pablo Hernandez ball in the 11th minute and chipped Pepe Reina. It was a decent effort but Raul Albiol cleared off the line.

They had no such answer for a special equaliser after half an hour. Tiendalli played in Emnes on the right, he came infield and fed Bony, who threaded a pass between Napoli’s centre-halves and into Jonathan De Guzman’s path and his shot went inside the far post.

The move that should have won this match was just as fast but not nearly clinical enough. Emnes released Hernandez, who whipped a cross to Bony. A foot either side and who knows? ‘The keeper again,’ Monk said. ‘Any other keeper in the two legs and there might have been a few goals.’

Shortly afterwards Davies, Flores and Higuain had their pinball moment, but even then Swansea had their chance to draw when Tiendalli’s header was tipped over by Reina.

Swansea surged, Napoli surged. They got a third when a counter-attack saw the ball find Gokhan Inler in stoppage time. He finished and so were Swansea.

—Daily Mail