Lecce-Empoli 1-0, great disappointment in the Cesarini area

Lecce, 13 April 2024 – The great bitterness. A burning defeat (and not only due to the high temperatures of the Apulian city). L'Empoli loses the survival play-off 1-0 with Lecce right at the end of the match: thus remaining in sixteenth place in the Serie A table at 28 points, just +2 on the relegation zone (when there is the whole 32nd matchday or almost dispute). Nicola inserts Cancellieri into the starting eleven; Cambiaghi remains on the bench. A tearful first half: many errors, a lot of tension, given what was at stake: salvation. At 5' Caprile he takes a big "risk": he takes the ball, but seems to recover it outside the area. The action continues and on the reversal of the front, Empoli ahead in the score: great work by Cancellieri on the left: the former Lazio player enters the area and serves Cerri at the near post, who goes behind Baschirotto and scores.

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The referee Mariani, called back by VAR, goes to check the action on the monitor and cancels the goal (it would have been Cerri's first goal in the blue shirt). From the possible guest advantage to the free kick for Lecce from the edge of the area: Piccoli challenges the Tuscan goalkeeper. In the 20th minute Oudin's free kick from the midfield Gendrey he hits from a few steps away, but Caprile is able to deflect the ball to the back. On corner kick developments, he is reactive Caprile on Dorgu's close range header. In the 32nd minute, Baschirotto's attempt from distance: the shot, inadvertently touched by a defender, forces Caprile to lift the ball over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Chancellors he tries an overhead kick: the ball ends up high.

At 37', double intervention by Falcone, first on Pongracic's deflection and then on Cerri's header. In the 45th minute Piccoli heads the ball in the small area, hitting the crossbar; then the Empoli rearguard unravels. Second half with more Lecce compared to Empoli, who control it, demonstrating that a draw is a result that suits them. In the 12th minute another notable save by Caprile, who blocks Baschirotto's header into the area. In the 19th minute, an enveloping maneuver by the Salento players: Gallo breaks through to the left, penetrates the sixteen meters and unloads for Oudin: his right-footed shot is deflected for a corner. Incredible in the 44th minute: Pierotti, who had just entered the field in place of Oudin, recovered the ball in the area, taking it away from Walukiewicz and serving Samson, which he achieves only in front of the goal line. For Nicola's team it is a very cold shower, despite the great heat of "Via del Mare”. Tremendous lightness from Walukiewicz and Empoli who is forced to lick his wounds. The road to salvation is still long (unfortunately).

TABLE LECCE – EMPOLI 1-0 LECCE (4-2-3-1): Falcone; Gendrey (43' st Venuti), Pongracic, Baschirotto, Gallo; Blin, Ramadani; Almqvist (17' st Sansone), Oudin (43' st Pierotti), Dorgu (28' st Gonzalez); Little ones. Available: Brancolini, Samooja, Touba, Rafia, Berisha, Banda, Burnete. Coach: Gotti. EMPOLI (3-4-2-1): Caprile; Bereszynski, Walukiewicz, Luperto; Gyasi, Marin, Bastoni (20' st Kovalenko), Pezzella (39' st Cacace); Zurkowski (15' st Maleh), Cancellieri (15' st Cambiaghi); Cerri (15' st Niang). Available: Perisan, Seghetti, Goglichidze, Grassi, Fazzini, Shpendi, Caputo, Destro. Coach: Nicola. REFEREE: Mariani of Aprilia. MARKER: 44' st Samson. NOTES: clear day. Booked: Almqvist. Corners: 9-2. Recovery time: 3', 4'.