Serie A | Empoli 0-1 Lazio: Early bird Dia enough in ill-tempered clash | OneFootball

Boulaye Dia’s goal after 54 seconds was ultimately enough for Lazio to take three precious points from Empoli, as both teams went down to 10 men and the hosts had a goal disallowed.

The Aquile hoped to take advantage of the fixture list with several head-to-head battles around this weekend, but Nuno Tavares, Manuel Lazzari and Patric were injured. The Tuscans remained in the drop zone and without a Serie A victory in 2025. Liam Henderson and Alberto Grassi sat out bans, with Christian Kouame, Tino Anjorin, Viktor Kovalenko, Youssef Maleh, Nicolas Haas, Tyronne Ebuehi, Pietro Pellegri and Szymon Zurkowski on the treatment table.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It took under 60 seconds to break the deadlock, because Mattia Viti misjudged the flight of the Elseid Hysaj ball over the top, allowing Boulaye Dia to control with his chest and drill home from 12 yards relatively undisturbed.

Christos Mandas had his gloves stung by a ferocious Luca Marianucci strike from outside the area, while Taty Castellanos fired wide on the turn.

EMPOLI, ITALY – MAY 04: Valentin Castellanos of SS Lazio kicks the ball during the Serie match between Empoli and Lazio at Stadio Carlo Castellani on May 04, 2025 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Empoli went down to 10 men just before half-time. Lorenzo Colombo had just been booked five minutes earlier when he clumsily caught Samuel Gigot chasing down a long ball, so the referee opted for a second yellow card.

Lazio almost doubled their lead moments later, as Matteo Guendouzi’s cross went past everyone, forcing Devis Vasquez to fingertip it round the far post. Adam Marusic nodded the resulting corner off target.

Ill-tempered Empoli-Lazio game

Nonetheless, Empoli threatened after the restart with Ola Solbakken just unable to get enough on the Giuseppe Pezzella cross.

The 10 men thought they had equalised when a Junior Sambia free kick was flicked on by Solbakken, took another deflection off Alessio Romagnoli, and Mattia Viti volleyed in from eight yards. However, VAR spotted an offside position.

EMPOLI, ITALY – MAY 4: Mattia Viti of Empoli FC scores a disallowed goal during the Serie A match between Empoli and SS Lazio at Stadio Carlo Castellani on May 4, 2025 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Castellanos fired a chest and volley off target, while Pedro drilled inches wide from the edge of the area after a Matias Vecino dummy let the Gustav Isaksen pull-back through.

However, Lazio were also reduced to 10 as Elseid Hysaj received his second yellow card for dragging back Sambia.

Marianucci made a desperate tackle from behind on Pedro as he was ready to pull the trigger and Sambia fired straight at Mandas, while in stoppages Vasquez rushed off his line to prevent Isaksen scoring on the counter-attack.

Dia 1 (L)

Sent off: Colombo 39 (E), Hysaj 76 (L)