An own goal by Zanoli opens, equalized by Weissman, then the final goals of the Tuscans send the Granata into the abyss. The technician’s position hangs by a thread
Serving the cold dish of revenge, which becomes freezing for Salernitana, Davide Nicola pushes his Empoli just above the Caudine forks of Serie B with a very heavy victory. The Tuscans rise to 21 points with Niang’s penalty and Cancellieri’s counterattack at the end, decreeing what seems like an early sentence. That salvation that Nicola miraculously achieved two years ago on the Granata bench now seems like a mirage if not a utopia for Salernitana. In the end, lots of boos with Inzaghi’s position now seeming to hang by a thread.
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More dynamic and always first on loose balls, Empoli soon dictated the pace of the match. Inzaghi’s team is struggling, struggling to find the right measures and consistency between the departments. The dangers come above all from the left bank of the Tuscans where Cacace, Maleh and above all Cambiaghi have an edge. The first thrill comes from Cacace’s cross: Ismajli’s header ends up high. Empoli again catches Zurkowski in the middle of the area but the Pole doesn’t connect. Brief relief from Candreva who tries to break through from the right but the ideas are confused, Kastanos plays and Dia doesn’t touch the ball. Two falls in the area alert Mariani: first Bereszynski’s touch on Candreva then, on the other side, Pellegrino and Boateng close in on Cambiaghi. According to the referee, both cases can be continued. Empoli’s pressure increases and in the 23rd minute they pass: Cambiaghi’s cross which Zanoli intercepts with his head creating an unstoppable parable for Ochoa. The superiority of the Tuscans in midfield and in the dribble is evident, Salernitana tries to get out of the grip with tiring individual sorties and Arechi begins to whistle. Cerri first eats a counterattack and then comes close to doubling the lead with a diving header. On the other side here is Dia who grazes the post from the left. Pierozzi gets hurt and Inzaghi changes his skin: Weissman inside in cahoots with Dia and behind it we switch to four. The last thrill of the first half belongs to Kastanos: a great right-footed volley and a wonderful diving response from Caprile.
THE RECOVERY Inzaghi removes Zanoli and inserts Sambia, but a different spirit is needed. The Granata try to gain ground but in the final meters they struggle to open the right spaces. Empoli thwarts two counterattacks that could have been worked better and then drops too low without taking any risks. Candreva tries and then Dia, but they are shots that aren’t scary. Inzaghi throws Pirola and Tchaouna into the fray for Boateng and Kastanos, looking for fresh forces and more suitable balances. Now the Granata push continuously. Candreva moves to the right and from there catches, with a cross with the tachometer, Weissman’s head which causes Arechi to explode. We’re at the 69th minute: there’s no shortage of time to rewrite everything, on both sides. Nicola runs for cover: Fazzini and Niang come in for Maleh and Cerri, but what is needed first and foremost is to raise the center of gravity. Inzaghi responds with the addition of Coulibaly (returning from the Africa Cup of Nations) for Maggiore. Empoli redesigns its structure with Cancellieri and Kovalenko for Cambiaghi and Zurkowski. The key word is not to get crushed and when the Tuscans manage to come out of their shell the match changes again. Fazzini is brought down in the area by Pellegrino, Mariani awards the penalty which Niang scores, wrong-footing Ochoa. It’s the 86th minute. But there’s also time for Cancellieri’s trio on the counterattack. And for Salernitana it is the middle of the night.
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