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Empoli send Napoli further from next season's European adventure
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 20.04.24. | 21:05
The reigning champions could not come back from hosts' early lead
Serie A strugglers Empoli moved four points clear of the relegation zone thanks to a 1-0 victory over reigning champions Napoli, as Davide Nicola’s men recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time this season.
Alberto Cerri got the relegation-threatened hosts off to a perfect start, finding the net just one week after being denied his first Empoli goal following a VAR review. On this occasion, there was nothing wrong with Cerri’s effort as he rose high to head home from Emmanuel Gyasi's lofted ball to extend Napoli’s wait for a clean sheet to 12 Serie A matches. Unfortunately for the Empoli striker, his celebratory mood dissipated when he was forced off in the 20th minute due to an injury issue.
Cerri’s replacement, M'Baye Niang, played a key role in creating Empoli’s next meaningful opportunity, neatly linking up with Nicolò Cambiaghi, who sent his left-footed strike crashing against the upright. Nicola’s side ultimately kept Napoli at bay at the opposite end of the pitch to establish a halftime lead for just the fourth time in a Serie A home game this season.
With the vocal home support spurring them on, a stubborn Empoli side continued to negate Napoli’s attacking threat in the opening 20 minutes of the second period. However, as the contest wore on, the visitors started to up the ante, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fizzing a powerful strike over the crossbar.
5 - Since the start of 2019, #Napoli have lost five of their seven matches played against #Empoli in #SerieA (W2), only losing more such games against Inter (6) in this period. Taboo.#EmpoliNapoli
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) April 20, 2024
Despite showing greater intent in the second period, Napoli’s quest for an equaliser ultimately proved fruitless as Empoli stood firm to end their nine-game wait for a shutout. After losing 1-0 to these opponents for the second time this term, the visitors are left sitting in eighth after winning just one of their last seven in all competitions.
SERIE A - MATCHDAY 33
Friday
Genoa - Lazio 0-1 (0-0)
/Luis Alberto 67/
Cagliari - Juventus 2-2 (2-0)
/Gaetano 30 pen, Mina 36 pen - Vlahovic 61, Dossena 87 og/
Saturday
Empoli - Napoli 1-0 (1-0)
/Cerri 4/
21:45: (2.60) Verona (3.25) Udinese (3.00)
Sunday
13:30: (2.40) Sassuolo (3.50) Lecce (3.10)
16:00: (1.75) Torino (3.60) Frosinone (4.90)
19:00: (4.90) Salernitana (3.60) Fiorentina (1.75)
21:45: (4.50) Monza (3.60) Atalanta (1.90)
Monday
19:30: (2.45) Roma (3.10) Bologna (3.15)
21:45: (3.80) Milan (3.60) Inter (2.05)
***odds are subject to change***
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