Napoli 2-4 Lazio

Gonzalo Higuain has missed four penalties this season

Rafael Benitez's last game in charge of Napoli ended in a dramatic defeat to Lazio which cost his side the chance of qualification for the Champions League.

Benitez, who is expected to become the new manager of Real Madrid, needed a win to take Napoli above their opponents to finish third in Serie A.

From 2-0 down at half-time, Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in a thrilling fightback but then missed a penalty.

Substitutes Ogenyi Onazi and Miroslav Klose then scored as Lazio won it.

Both sides finished a remarkable game with 10 men as Napoli ended the season in fifth place after Fiorentina beat Chievo 3-0.

Lazio's Marco Parolo was sent off for a second yellow card in the second half after he had given the visitors a 33rd-minute lead with a deflected long-range shot.

They added to their advantage in first-half stoppage time thanks to Antonio Candreva's calm finish when sent clear with just goalkeeper Mariano Andujar to beat.

Lazio finished third in Serie A despite winning just three of their last eight league games

Higuain then scored both of Napoli's goals in a thrilling start to the second half which promised to give Benitez a memorable send-off, with Napoli knowing that a win would take them above Lazio thanks to their better head-to-head record.

First the Argentina international, 27, side-footed home to make it 2-1.

He then fired his 28th goal of the season into the bottom corner from a Dries Mertens pass.

Napoli defender Faouzi Ghoulam was dismissed for a second caution with 20 minutes to go.

And with just 15 minutes left, Senad Lulic tripped Christian Maggio to concede a penalty, but Higuain extended his poor record on spot-kicks this season when he fired the ball over to record his fourth miss from seven attempts.

Lazio then secured their place in the Champions League for the first time since 2008 with two late goals.

Onazi scored less than two minutes after being sent on by manager Stefano Pioli and veteran German international Klose, 36, headed home his 15th goal of the season in the last minute.

Elsewhere, Sampdoria drew 2-2 with Parma to guarantee finishing above Inter Milan - who beat Empoli 4-3 - and finish seventh.

That will be enough to earn them Italy's final place in the Europa League if Genoa fail in their appeal against a decision by the Italian Football Federation not to grant them a Uefa licence to compete in next season's competition, owing to an administration issue.

Marco Parolo scored his 10th goal for Lazio since signing from Parma last summer

Antonio Candreva also scored his 10th Serie A goal of the season to put Lazio 2-0 up

Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in the space of nine minutes to make it 2-2

Higuain's second goal was his 18th in Serie A this season

Higuain's missed penalty was celebrated by Lazio's Brazilian defender Mauricio