Edinson Cavani scored a hat trick to help Napoli beat defending champion AC Milan 3-1 Sunday and make an early-season statement that it could contend for the Italian league title.
After Alberto Aquilani gave Milan the lead in the 11th minute, Cavani struck back for Napoli in the 13th, 36th and 51st at the San Paolo stadium.
Cavani also scored in a 1-1 draw at big-spending Manchester City on Wednesday in the Champions League, and Napoli opened Serie A with a 3-1 win over Cesena last weekend.
The string of positive results is sure to make Napoli's devoted fans start dreaming of its first title since Diego Maradona led the southern club to Serie A championships in 1987 and 1990.
Napoli, Juventus, Udinese and Cagliari each have six points through two rounds, but Napoli leads on goals scored.
Milan was missing several key players due to injury, such as striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, captain Massimo Ambrosini and fellow midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Still, Milan appeared in control at the start, as Aquilani met a cross from Antonio Cassano with a long, difficult header to put the visitors ahead.
But Cavani quickly equalized with an angled shot from the edge of the box to finish off a brilliant set piece for Napoli.
Cavani's second goal was even more spectacular, as he used one powerful touch of his right foot to finish off a counterattack after taking the ball from fellow Uruguayan Walter Gargano, who evaded Milan's entire midfield by dribbling from one end to the other.
Nicknamed ''El Matador,'' Cavani then used his left foot to convert a rebound for his third goal, as Milan's classy center backs Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva appeared befuddled.
In the 62nd, Nesta lost his cool after getting tackled from behind by Salvatore Aronica, responding by grabbing the Napoli defender by the neck, drawing yellow cards for both players.
