Empoli-Cagliari 0-1, match report
Cagliari breaks the away taboo and wins in Empoli: Jankto’s goal in the second half decides the match at the Castellani Stadium – Computer Gross Arena. Fundamental victory to continue chasing the salvation goal.
CHOICES
Coach Ranieri confirms the lineup from last round against Napoli: Scuffet in goal; in front of him Dossena and Mina as central defender with Augello and Nandez on the flanks; Makoumbou and Deiola in the midfield, Jankto and Luvumbo on the outsides; Gaetano supporting Lapadula
OPEN MATCH
First chance in the 4th minute for Empoli, which made itself dangerous with Kovalenko: the Ukrainian served by Cambiaghi failed to get past an alert Scuffet. Ten minutes later it was Gaetano who committed Caprile from the distance: the ball deflected into the corner. Just from the red and blue corner kick an Empolese restart is triggered: first Cambiaghi hits the post, on the rebound the ball ends up to Maleh who kicks and finds Scuffet ready again. In the 32nd minute Luvumbo exits due to injury, in his place Zappa enters.
CLEAN SHEETS
In the 35th minute, Destro’s header threatened Cagliari: the ball finished outside Scuffet’s right-hand side. One minute from the end of the first half, a red and blue chance: Gaetano escapes on the left flank and crosses centrally for Lapadula, who beats everyone at the first post with his header. Empoli were saved thanks to a great intervention by Caprile: the ex-Bari goalkeeper stretched out and pushed the ball away. The result remained at 0-0 at the end of the first half.
ROSSOBLÚ LEAD
Immediately there was a chance for Empoli at the start of the second half: Cambiaghi created on the flank and after a series of deflections the ball ended up at the feet of Cancellieri who in the small area didn’t control well and was thus blocked by Augello and Scuffet. In the 62nd minute Empoli found the goal of 1-0 with Cacace but the goal was cancelled thanks to the intervention of the VAR that detected a position of offside. Cagliari unblocked the match in the 69th minute: Zappa was served on the right by Gaetano, jumped a man with a great dribbling and served Nandez in the middle of the area who kicked but found Caprile; on the rebound Jankto arrived for the 1-0.
FIGHT AND SACRIFICE
In the 77th minute, out came Jankto and Augello, in came Azzi and Wieteska with Ranieri’s men switching to a 3-5-2. Empoli threw themselves forward: the Rossoblù managed the impact with fight and sacrifice. Ranieri made another change on 87 minutes: Lapadula and Gaetano were replaced by Shomurodov and Kingstone, who made his Serie A debut. There were eight minutes of added time: in the 96th minute Scuffet saved everything on Pezzella’s attempt and put the exclamation mark on the victory.
