David Lopez had given the Azzurri a deserved lead, but they were made to pay for not taking their chances as the visitors grabbed a crucial away goal ahead of the return leg in Ukraine.

Dnipro's players celebrate after scoring during the UEFA Europa League semi final first leg football match SSC Napoli vs FK Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on May 7, 2015 © Getty Images

The home side dominated the match from the kickoff, and Lorenzo Insigne almost fired them into the lead when his powerful volley clipped the outside of the post.

Napoli continued to threaten and it was Insigne once again who came close with a low effort that he poked just wide from a tight angle.

It took Dnipro until the midway point of the first half to create their first opening, as Jaba Kankava fired in a strike from range that was pushed behind by Mariano Andujar.

Napoli finally made the breakthrough five minutes into the second when Lopez arrived to power in a header from Insigne's corner.

Napoli's midfielder from Spain David Lopez celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Europa League semi final first leg football match SSC Napoli vs FK Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on May 7, 2015 © Getty Images

Gonzalo Higuain almost doubled their lead soon after when he was slipped through by Marek Hamsik and saw his low effort blocked by the feet of Denis Boyko.

Rafael Benitez's side kept pressing for a second goal and Jose Callejon fired wide of the target after being found on the edge of the box by Higuain.

Insigne was next to try his luck with a curling strike towards the far corner that was pushed away by Boyko.

Boyko was proving to be the far busier of the two goalkeepers and he was called into action again to deny a strike from Higuain.

Despite all of Napoli's pressure, they were stunned with 10 minutes left to play, as substitute Seleznyov turned Artem Fedetskyy's low ball in at the back post to level the scores.