Fiorentina-Empoli 0-2: goals from Caputo and Gyasi

Other than connection to the Champions League area. Fiorentina falls heavily in the derby with Empoli, a clear 0-2 which weakens Viola’s great moment and at the same time lights up Fabrizio Corsi’s club’s hopes of survival. For the Azzurri, a goal in each half, from Caputo in the first 45 minutes and from the new player Gyasi in the second half, and a performance of great authority, with a solid defense (Luperto enormous), lots of pressing and quick passes due to the speed of the three in front, Cambiaghi (how much quality), Caputo and Cancellieri. Andreazzoli wins the chess match with Italiano, suffocating the Viola playmakers with the enormous work of the various Marins. Grassi, Maleh, and finding with deep holes the concreteness at the net that had been missing until now.

first half

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In attack, Italiano gives up Ikoné and deploys Nico Gonzalez on the right and Brekalo on the left, while Andreazzoli keeps Baldanzi on the bench, who has not yet recovered from the sprained right ankle suffered last Tuesday in Bolzano with the under 21 team: in Empoli he ‘Caputo is the centre-forward, with Cambiaghi on the left and Caputo on the right. If the numbers so far say that Empoli’s is the worst attack in Serie A, the first half doesn’t prove it at all. The Azzurri are well placed on the pitch, they press, they confuse a Fiorentina who have the most interesting ideas from Nico Gonzalez alone, while Kayode seems confused, Arthur and Duncan have little impact, Brekalo’s work on the left does not bear fruit and in the center of the We see very little of Nzola’s attack. Empoli attacks the ball carriers and gives air to the counterattack, with dangerous holes: in the 11th minute Cambiaghi extends the ball too far and pardons Terracciano. A minute later Fiorentina’s clearest chance, with Nico Gonzalez who heads the ball, challenging Berisha and when he counters, he is blocked by Luperto. Fiorentina tries again with Duncan from outside, in the 18th minute Quarta even tries an overhead kick (high), but it is Empoli who are more dangerous: after Cancellieri had shot high from outside in the 15th minute, in the 21st minute Walukiewicz serves in depth for Grassi, who from the right of the area crossed for Caputo, punctual for the tap-in of Empoli’s 1-0. Fiorentina tries to react, they have the ball in the match but they make a lot of mistakes, they are not concrete and they lose bloody balls, which Empoli immediately transforms into good ones for the very fast attacking trio. In the 30th minute Caputo frees Cambiaghi, and on the shot to cross Terracciano he has to overcome himself. In the 46th minute Franchi freezes: Kayode loses yet another ball, Empoli constructs an excellent cross from Cancellieri from the left, with Caputo at the near post who turns it into the net. However, the 0-2 was canceled by VAR. The referee Dionisi was not even called to review the images: in fact, we noticed that the Empoli center forward hit the ball with his right arm.

second half

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After the interval, Italiano deploys Sottil on the left in place of Brekalo, while Andreazzoli confirms the eleven. Empoli defended with order, Maleh ran like hell to annoy the Viola ball carriers, so we had to wait until the 15th minute for a concrete Viola opportunity, with Bonaventura’s shot blocked for a corner. The Viola number 5 also tries in the 20th minute, but is inaccurate. Empoli give the feeling of having spent a lot, but remain well covered and take advantage of every opportunity to catch their breath. Andreazzoli brings on Fazzini and Destro for Marin and Caputo, they too are called upon to cover: Empoli defends with nine men, Viola moves the ball around but can’t find any space, so Beltran comes on for Nzola and Mandragora for Duncan. In the 32nd minute Franchi protests, Beltran turns the ball towards the net and finds Luperto, a penalty is called for but it starts again from the corner. And in the 36th minute he scores the assist for the 0-2: Cambiaghi recovers the ball and serves it with a splendid heel, cross from the right to Gyasi who bursts into the small area and strikes Terracciano. The match slowly dies down, Baldanzi is also seen on the pitch (and to think that the guests had to pay for his absence), Viola presses but Empoli shows no signs of giving in. At the end Berisha denied Gonzalez’s goal with a great volley and at the end Destro narrowly scored to make it 0-3.