Serie A | Empoli 1-3 Lecce: Krstovic blows relegation battle open | OneFootball

A Nikola Krstovic brace saw Lecce drag Empoli right back towards the danger zone in a potentially huge 3-1 away victory.

The Tuscans were sliding down the table after one point from four rounds, with Ola Solbakken, Nicolas Haas, Saba Sazonov, Pietro Pellegri and Tyronne Ebuehi injured. Lecce had an even longer absentee list, missing Andy Pelmard, Antonino Gallo, Medon Berisha, Hamza Rafia, Kialonda Gaspar and Lameck Banda.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.

The visitors took the lead when Santiago Pierotti won it back in midfield and sent Balthazar Pierret down the right, he might’ve been fouled, but after Nikola Krstovic failed to connect for a tap-in, the pass kept going for Tete Morente to fire home.

Youssouf Maleh opted to roll across rather than shoot after intercepting a weak move out from the back and moments later Lecce doubled their lead. Tete Morente’s throw-in caught the Empoli defence napping, as Krstovic let it bounce to smash in the half-volley first-time.

EMPOLI, ITALY – JANUARY 11: Tete Morente of US Lecce celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Empoli and Lecce at Stadio Carlo Castellani on January 11, 2025 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Jacopo Seghetti prevented it becoming 3-0 by getting down quickly for a great one-handed save to deny Thorir Helgason’s daisy-cutter.

Seghetti was again decisive on Krstovic one-on-one, but Ardian Ismajli sustained a muscular injury during that move and had to come off.

Alberto Grassi acrobatically met the Sebastiano Esposito cross from the left, turning it wide of the near post, while Saba Goglichidze threw himself in the path of Krstovic’s effort and Seghetti intercepted the dangerous Helgason cross for Krstovic.

Empoli scored straight after the restart, Emmanuel Gyasi nodding down the Maleh cross for Liberato Cacace’s header at the back post.

They threatened an equaliser with Esposito’s glancing header wide on a short corner, then Cacace’s tap-in on the Giuseppe Pezzella pull-back was straight at Wladimiro Falcone from seven yards.

Esposito ballooned another Cacace cross over, then forced Falcone into a save at the near post when cutting inside from the right.

Lecce held on under pressure and added a third in stoppages when Patrick Dorgu ran onto the long Ramadani ball over the top, pulled it back and Krstovic hit a left-foot scorcher into the far top corner from the edge of the area.

Empoli 1-3 Lecce

Morente 6 (L), Krstovic 11, 91 (L), Cacace 47 (E)