Serie A roundup: Immobile helps Lazio climb into top four, Fiorentina score late equaliser
Fiorentina - Empoli
Empoli and Fiorentina shared the Tuscan bragging rights in a fiery 1-1 draw, keeping the three-point gap between the local rivals, with the Viola now without a win in six Serie A (SA) games.
Fiorentina were aiming to end a winless run of five SA matches in the Tuscan derby against an inform Empoli side who had only one league loss to their name in 2023. The match got off to a flying start. Amongst the strong early challenges, the hosts came inches away from taking the lead when Guglielmo Vicario dropped the ball to Antonín Barák who was then denied on the line by a brilliant Tyronne Ebuehi clearance. After withstanding an early barrage, Empoli silenced the Artemio Franchi Stadium when the usually reliable Sofyan Amrabat gave the ball way inside his own half allowing Francesco Caputo to tee up his strike partner Nicolò Cambiaghi, who scored consecutive SA goals for the first time in his career to make it 1-0.
La Viola thought they had got themselves back in the game when Vicario once again spilt the ball in his own area to Barák who poked home, however, the visitors were given a huge let-off as a VAR intervention ruled the goal out for offside in the build-up. Empoli also had a goal ruled out for offside when Cambiagli’s wonderful low cross was put in by Caputo at the back post but VAR intervened once again to keep the score 1-0 at HT. Vincenzo Italiano, clearly unimpressed by what he had seen so far, made two changes at the break, bringing on Dodô and Jonathan Ikoné as his side looked to get back into the game.
Fiorentina had only scored two goals in their last five SA games and their attacking woes were looking set to continue as big chances for Amrabat and Lucas Martínez Quarta were both spurned early in the second half. Quarta remained Fiorentina’s biggest threat as he forced Vicario into the save of the game when he powered a header from close range which was somehow tipped over the bar. The hosts were finally rewarded for their constant pressure when Dodô’s cross came back off the bar and was gladly headed in by substitute Arthur Cabral to make it 1-1 at the death.
Empoli had Vicario to thank for leaving with a point as he made a flurry of excellent saves in stoppage time to deny, in particular, Cabral from making it 2-1. Instead, both sides settled for a point in a thrilling derby draw.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Guglielmo Vicario (Empoli)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Salernitana - Lazio
Paulo Sousa’s first game in charge of struggling Salernitana ended in defeat as the Granata went down 2-0 at home to SS Lazio, with Ciro Immobile scoring twice to end their three-game winless run in Serie A.
Hoping to make an immediate impact, new manager Sousa saw his team make a positive start at the Stadio Arechi, with veteran Antonio Candreva seeing his shot from the right side of the area flying just wide of the left post. The Granata may have sensed an opportunity to strike early on against a Lazio side who had not won in the league since January, and they were certainly the better side in the early stages without threatening the goal too often.
Having taken an earlier knock which caused his nose to bleed, Pedro showed he wasn’t perturbed when his curling effort from the left side of the area was well saved by the diving Luigi Sepe. Having been on the back foot in the closing stages of the half, Candreva came close for a second time five minutes before HT when he forced a great diving save from Ivan Provedel to keep the scoreline at 0-0.
The two teams had yet to draw in seven previous Serie A meetings, and so a goal was almost guaranteed in the second half. On the hour mark, it duly arrived when a wonderful free-flowing move from Lazio was finished off by Immobile, who tapped in at the far post from Adam Marušić’s cross for his eighth league goal of the season, ending his five-game drought in the league. Salernitana’s task was made all the more difficult when Lazio were awarded a penalty after Sepe brought down Immobile inside the area, and the striker made no mistake from the spot to put his team in a commanding position with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Luis Alberto missed a late penalty for the visitors, as Dylan Bronn was shown a red card, but it mattered little as they recorded a welcome victory which lifts them two places to fourth, while Salernitana remain 16th and just four points above the relegation zone.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ciro Immobile (SS Lazio)