Fiorentina defeated Empoli in today’s lunch match at the Artemio Franchi Stadium, extending their non-losing streak in Serie A to four games and keeping their European football ambitions alive.
Starting XIs: Cabral Gets a Chance, Stojanović Returns
For Fiorentina, Lorenzo Venuti started on the right, taking again Alvaro Odriozola’s spot as the Spaniard right-back is still injured. In midfield, Alfred Duncan replaced the injured Giacomo Bonaventura, while upfront Arthur Cabral got a chance from the start due to Krzysztof Piątek not being fit.
Empoli recovered Petar Stojanović on the right-back spot, although coach Andreazzoli had to leave Fabiano Parisi out of the squad due to a one-match ban, with New Zealander Liberato Cacace taking his spot. In midfield, Nedim Bajrami was benched and upfront Federico Di Francesco joined Andrea Pinamonti.
Di Francesco Scores for Empoli but VAR Denies It
Fiorentina started strong and created many scoring occasions, first with a long shot by Cristiano Biraghi and then with a header from Lucas Torreira, but Empoli’s goalie Guglielmo Vicario kept the door shut and saved the result.
Empoli held up and tried to take advantage of mistakes made by Vincenzo Italiano’s team, resulting in their biggest chance with five minutes left on the first half: Biraghi let a back pass of Riccardo Saponara slip by not noticing the presence of Pinamonti behind him. The italian striker pressed Fiorentina’s goalie Pietro Terracciano and the ball came to Di Francesco who scored with a beautiful bycicle kick.
Referee Luca Massimi initially allowed it but was called to the on field review – which resulted in Empoli’s advantage being cancelled due to Pinamonti’s foul on Terracciano. There was a heated argument involving the players, the staff and even both clubs’ boards who were following the match from the stands.
Luperto Gets Sent Off as Gonzalez Punishes Visitors
In the second half, la Viola started strong again, creating many scoring occasions and finally converting one of them. On the 50-minute mark, Saponara put a delicious pass in the middle of the area and prompted Cabral’s tap-in. However, referee Massimi disallowed this one as well due to Saponara’s offside position.
Just five minutes later, the fate of the match turned in favor of the Viola: Empoli’s center back Sebastiano Luperto, who was already booked in the first half, fouled Gonzalez and got sent off.
Minutes later, a perfect Biraghi free-kick was headed home by Gonzalez, who gave Fiorentina the lead and the three points on offer.
Fiorentina now sit 8th in the league table with 50 points, only two points behind 5th-seeded Lazio and still with one game in hand. Empoli, on the other hand, sit 14th with 33 points. The Azzurri are still 11 points clear of the relegation zone.
What’s Next for Fiorentina and Empoli
Fiorentina will travel to Napoli next week to face the Partenopei, in a high-stake match-up for both sides, with la Viola being fully involved in the race for a possible Europa or Conference League spot and the Partenopei fighting for their Scudetto dreams. Empoli will face Spezia at home, looking to end an unsettling fourteen game winless streak.
MATCH SCORECARD
April 4, 2022 – Serie A 2021-2022 Round 30
FIORENTINA – EMPOLI 1-0
SCORER: 58′ Gonzalez
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FIORENTINA (4-3-3): Terracciano; Venuti, Milenković, Igor, Biraghi (86′ Terzic); Castrovilli (86′ Maleh), Torreira (71′ Amrabat), Duncan; Saponara (77′ Sottil), Cabral, Nico Gonzalez (86′ Callejon) (Dragowski, Rosati, Martinez, Nastasic, Ikonè, Kokorin, Piatek) Coach: Italiano |
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EMPOLI (4-3-1-2): Vicario; Stojanovic, Tonelli (28′ Ismajli), Luperto, Cacace; Zurkowski, Stulac (61′ Asllani), Bandinelli (77′ Bajrami); Henderson (61′ Cutrone); Di Francesco (61′ Viti), Pinamonti (Ujkani, Furlan, Romagnoli, Fiamozzi, Verre, Benassi, La Mantia) Coach: Andreazzoli |