Empoli wastes, Cagliari settles. At Castellani it ends 0-0. Azzurri booed

Empoli, 6 April 2025 – Among the (many) problems that are plaguing Empoli this season, scoring goals – especially at home – is the most important. It's not an insignificant detail., because even in the match against Cagliari, a direct clash that is fundamental for the race for salvation, the Azzurri are hit by their almost chronic inability to capitalise on their opportunities. Which are not very many, it's true, but that net of a boring and ugly race there are always more of those created by the Sardinians.

In other words, the 0-0 that matured at the Castellani could easily have been a 1-0 for Empoli and there would have been nothing to say, but if D'Aversa's men, in 15 home games, they have managed to win only one, scoring just 5 goals overall, there is a reason. The team, still without important men, is unable to capitalize on the situations that are favorable to them, especially if men who are not familiar with goals arrive up front, such as Cacace o Zambia. 

The result was a goalless draw which only served to keep morale just above the minimum threshold of serenity, a result which goes hand in hand with the 1-1 in Como but with Napoli on the horizon it feels like yet another wasted opportunity. There's not much to say about the game itself. There were two chances for Cacace, one in the first half and one (more tempting) in the second half, but in both cases the New Zealander was imprecise. He also came close Zambia, who first gets stopped at the last minute after a nice central percussion and then grazes the post on a free kick. Too little for those who necessarily need to get back to winning, so much so that even a part of the crowd, in the end, let themselves go by whistling at Grassi and his teammates. 

EMPOLI-CAGLIARI 1-1, THE SCOREBOARD

EMPOLI (3-4-2-1): Vasquez; Goglichidze, Marianucci, Viti; Sambia (65' Ebuehi), Grassi, Henderson, Pezzella; Esposito (84' Solbakken), Cacace; Kouamé (70' Colombo). Coach D'Aversa. Subs: Seghetti, Brancolini; Kovalenko, De Sciglio, Tosto, Bacci, Konatè. 

CAGLIARI (4-2-3-1): Caprile; Paolomino (71' Zappa), Mina, Luperto, Augello; Adopo, Prati (82' Deiola); Zortea, Viola (59' Gaetano), Luvumbo (59' Coman); Piccoli (82' Pavoletti). Coach Nicola Subs: Ciocci, Sherri; Marin, Jankto, Makoumbou, Obert, Mutundawa, Felici.

REFEREE: Federico La Penna of Rome 1 (Zingarelli-Rossi; Prontera; Aureliano/Marini)

AMMONITES: Luperto, Palomino, Augello, Pavoletti