All posts tagged: Empoli

Napoli Keep Serie A Lead With Win At Empoli

Napoli Keep Serie A Lead With Win At Empoli

Published by Webster

Napoli will stay top of Serie A for at least another week after winning 1-0 at bogey team Empoli on Sunday and moving three points clear of Juventus. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck the only goal of the game, and his fourth of the season, from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute to give Napoli their fourth straight win in all competitions. Sunday’s hard-fought victory means that Napoli cannot be overtaken this weekend, although Inter Milan can move back to within two points of Antonio Conte’s team with a win at troubled Roma in the day’s late game. “We’re trying to create a solid base from which we can become a team with serious ambitions,” said Conte to DAZN. “Every win should be celebrated because they’re hard won. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing. “We’re trying to build something here, something that isn’t just a flash in the pan but lasts long-term.” Empoli beat Napoli home and away last season and their victory in Naples last November cost Rudi Garcia his …

AC Milan Start Huge Week By Destroying Venezia As Juventus Held At Empoli

Published by Webster

AC Milan warmed up for the Champions League and next weekend’s Milan derby in the best possible fashion with Saturday’s 4-0 hammering of Venezia in Serie A, while Juventus stumbled to a goalless draw at Empoli. Pressure had been building on Milan over the international break after just two points from their first three matches, and thousands of hardcore fans gathered outside the San Siro to show their support ahead of a big week for the seven-time European champions.  Paulo Fonseca’s team responded to that backing by sweeping sorry Venezia aside, racing into a four-goal lead within 29 minutes and cruising through the rest of the match. Milan are eighth but will face Liverpool on Tuesday night in better spirits following their first win of the season, with a massive clash with champions Inter Milan coming a week on Sunday. Inter have won the last six derbies, the most recent victory also securing last season’s Scudetto. “It was important to win, and win in this manner, to give the players belief in what …

Napoli Slump To Empoli Loss In Champions League Setback

Published by Webster

Serie A: Empoli defeated Napoli 1-0© X (Twitter) Napoli’s hopes of squeezing into the Champions League suffered another setback on Saturday when they slumped to a 1-0 loss at struggling Empoli in Serie A. Alberto Cerri scored the only goal of the game after just four minutes when he rose unchallenged to head in at the back post. It was his first top-flight goal in three years. Empoli could have had a second goal later in the opening period but Nicolo Cambiaghi’s powerful drive came back off the post. The result left defending champions Napoli in eighth place, six points behind Roma who currently occupy the fifth and final qualifying spot for next season’s Champions League. Empoli moved to 15th place in the table, four points above the drop zone. Italy were this week granted five places in the elite club competition instead of four after its teams secured a top two spot in the UEFA coefficient standings. Roma and Atalanta both made the semi-finals of the Europa League on Thursday while Fiorentina are in …

Inter Milan Beat Empoli To Close In On Serie A Title

Published by Webster

Inter Milan took another step towards the Serie A title on Monday with a straightforward 2-0 win over struggling Empoli which maintained their 14-point lead at the top of the league. Federico Dimarco put Inter ahead after five minutes at the San Siro before substitute Alexis Sanchez sealed the points in front of delighted home fans with nine minutes remaining. Monday’s comfortable victory left Inter needing just 11 more points from eight matches to beat second-placed AC Milan to a 20th Italian league crown. Inter have a huge lead on their local rivals thanks in large part to academy product Dimarco, whose first-time strike from Alessandro Bastoni’s neat clipped pass separated the hosts from their spirited opponents for most of the match. It was Bastoni’s third assist in as many league matches and the Italy defender joked: “It was the worst of the lot, Dimarco’s finish made it look much better!” “We’re really happy with the win because we’ve just come off the international break and it’s never easy winning after travelling around the world,” …

Serie A: Last-Gasp Bologna Consolidate Fourth At Empoli

Published by Webster

Serie A: Bologna defeat Empoli 1-0© Twitter Bologna continued their surprise Serie A charge to a Champions League spot on Friday after a stoppage-time winner by Giovanni Fabbian gave them a 1-0 win at Empoli. Substitute Fabbian scored on the rebound four minutes into added time to move Bologna six points clear of Roma in fifth spot, provisionally. The narrow victory comes at a crucial time in the season for Bologna, who last week were defeated 1-0 at home to runaway leaders Inter Milan after a run of six successive wins. Thiago Motta‘s side now find themselves just four points off Juventus in third, ahead of the Old Lady’s clash with 12th-placed Genoa on Sunday. Bologna are bidding to qualify for the Champions League for the first time, although the seven-time Italian champions played one round in the old European Cup in 1964, the same year that they most recently won the Scudetto. Last season’s ninth place was the highest Bologna had finished in Serie A for over a decade. Defeat leaves Empoli one point …