Serie A | Sassuolo 2-3 Empoli: Thriller decided in stoppages

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·24 February 2024

Serie A | Sassuolo 2-3 Empoli: Thriller decided in stoppages

Sassuolo twice came back from a goal down with Andrea Pinamonti and Gian Marco Ferrari, but Empoli emerged with three goals and three points in stoppages.

The hosts had dropped down into the bottom three after a disastrous run of five points in the last 11 rounds and have a game in hand against Napoli on February 28. Mattia Viti, Martin Erlic, Jeremy Toljan and above all star man Domenico Berardi were still injured. Empoli were revitalised under new coach Nicola, still unbeaten now with three wins and three draws. However, Szymon Zurkowski, Francesco Caputo and Tyronne Ebuehi were on the treatment table, with Alberto Grassi only fit for the bench, plus Emmanuel Gyasi suspended.

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Andrea Consigli got behind an awkward Youssef Maleh free kick and another of these set plays proved crucial, because it found Sebastiano Luperto at the back post for a diving header. The defender crashed face-first into the upright in the process, so was in no mood to celebrate.

Maleh had the ball in the net again on 23 minutes, but controlled the rebound off the upright with his arm first, so the goal was disallowed.

Armand Lauriente twice blasted over from promising positions and Andrea Pinamonti’s header was straight at the goalkeeper.

After the restart, Elia Caprile made his first real save on a deflected Josh Doig strike, but on the resulting corner, VAR pointed the referee towards an Ardian Ismajli foul on Ruan Tressoldi. Just days after seeing two penalties parried by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, Pinamonti stepped up again and buried it to equalise.

Soon after, substitute M’Baye Niang wasted a counter-attack with a poor first touch, but on the resulting corner his shot was charged down by Gian Marco Ferrari’s arm. Niang now has three converted penalties in three appearances for Empoli since joining in January.

Niang very nearly got one from open play when sliding on to the Matteo Cancellieri assist, but Andrea Consigli made a huge save from point-blank range.

Instead, Sassuolo clawed their way back on level terms again, as a Nedim Bajrami free kick found the head of Ferrari to equalise.

Nicolò Cambiaghi should’ve made it 3-2 to Empoli only to twice fire over the bar from inside the penalty area, while Bajrami had his effort charged down after a good run.

It still wasn’t over, as at the 93rd minute Razvan Marin whipped in a free kick for the Simone Bastoni glancing header at the near post, across the face of goal into the far bottom corner.