Under 19 defeat in Empoli

Cagliari’s Under 19 team was beaten 3-0 in Empoli as a result of a goal conceded in the first half in the 14th minute by Vallarelli and Bonassi’s double in the 59th and 67th minutes in a numerical inferiority (Simonetta was sent off in the 38th minute of the first half).

MATCH REPORT
Under the downpour and on a pitch that had become borderline unplayable, the match began with great intensity and without reverential fears on the part of the two teams. In the 11th minute Simonetta was booked for a foul on Bacciardi. In the 14th minute Vallarelli from outside did not forgive, also thanks to a deflection, and it was 1-0. In the 17th minute double yellow for Birindelli, the Empoli coach was thus removed from his bench. Between the 20′ and 21′ double chance Cagliari: Sulev from outside and Seghetti saves, then Vinciguerra with a quick right-footed shot countered by Indragoli. Balanced match, Cagliari replied blow by blow even if drawing plots and putting into practice the game organisation on which they work every day was practically impossible because of the pitch. In the 35th minute Wodzicki was careful on Nabian, then Sulev in the 37th minute did not find the goal from distance. In the 38th minute another contact between Simonetta and Bacciardi: second yellow and expulsion. The end of the half saw Konate in the goal area, but his conclusion was stopped in the corner. Catena puts out Bacciardi’s shot and Wodzicki saves on Bacciardi. At the rest it is 1-0 Tuscan.

The restart began with nothing new, it rained a lot and in some areas it was boggy. In the 51st minute Seghetti saved everything on Sulev. Empoli made an encore in the 59th minute with Bonassi: a backhander in the box and a spectacular goal. He then repeated in the 67th minute with a great shot that left no chance. The match was effectively in the bag, Cagliari never gave up but little happened in terms of scoring chances. It ended 3-0.

COACH PISACANE’S WORDS
“On days like this we must have the strength, the ability and the lucidity to go beyond the result, which certainly leaves us with a lot of disappointment. We put our heads on the job and on the concepts we believe in, which we want to develop on a daily basis by correcting mistakes. We must return to the field with the enthusiasm of those who want to take the positive even from a day with few lights like today’s, and with the desire to play the next match against Juventus: difficult, beautiful, challenging.

The match? The pitch at the limits of practicability cannot be an alibi, and neither I nor the group will ever cling to external factors. Certainly, however, it was a match where playing football was impossible: duels, second balls and dirty situations were decisive in moving the needle of the scales to one side or the other. We were not able to read some situations, for an hour the match was in the balance, although Simonetta’s expulsion directed the game. Even the episodes did not smile on us, especially in the first half with some unfortunate scrums, then two Bonassi’s prowess closed the contest. Let’s go ahead, compact and with personality, in a championship where every week anything can happen and this must be a lesson to never lower our guard”.

Empoli-Cagliari 3-0
Goals:14′ Vallarelli (E); 59′ e 67′ Bonassi (E);
Empoli: Seghetti; Dragoner, Indragoli (C), Tosto; Vallarelli (dall’84’ Stoyanov), Bacci (from 74′ Cesari), Bacciardi (from 74′ Popov), Matteazzi, Bonassi (from 84′ Majdandzic); Nabian Bucancil (from 87′ Ansah), El Biache. At disp.: Vertus, Versari, Gaj, Sodero, Stassin, Pauliuc. Coach: Alessandro Birindelli.
Cagliari: Wodzicki, Idrissi, Catena, Pintus, Cogoni (from 72′ Carboni); Sulev, Malfitano (from 60′ Achour), Marcolini; Simonetta; Vinciguerra, Konate. At disp.: Renna, Conti, Balde, Bolzan, Franke, Piseddu, Marini. Coach: Fabio Pisacane.
Booked: 11′ Simonetta (C); 30′ Malfitano (C); 61′ Achour (E); 70′ Seghetti (E); 77′ Popov (E); 90′ Matteazzi (E).
Sent off: 38′ Simonetta (C).