19 May 2024
19 May 2024

Udinese v Empoli 1-1

Two last minute penalties mean it ends a point a piece

5b2ffd87-22bc-4cf5-b0c2-ab387a401b52.jpg
Udinese 1-1 Empoli (HT 0-0)
Scorers: 90 (P) Niang (E), 90+15 (P) Samardzic (U)
 
Udinese (3-4-2-1): Okoye; Perez, Bijol, Kristensen; Ehizibue (Festy 55), Walace (Zarraga 87), Payero, Kamara (Ferreira 87); Samardzic, Success (Brenner 7, Davis 55); Lucca. 
Subs not used: Padelli, Mosca, Abankwah, Tikvic, Kabasele, Giannetti, Zemura, Pereyra, Palma, Pejicic. 
Coach: Cannavaro 
 
Empoli (3-5-2): Caprile; Bereszynski (Walukiewicz 59), Ismajli, Luperto; Gyasi, Bastoni (Fazzini 59), Grassi (Marin 81), Maleh, Pezzella; Cancellieri (Cambiaghi 81), Cerri (Niang 30). 
Subs not used: Perisan, Seghetti, Goglichidze, Shpendi, Kovalenko, Caputo, Cacace, Destro, Zurkowski. 
Coach: Nicola 
 
Referee: Guida 
Assistants: Carbone-Giallatini 
Fourth official: Di Marco 
VAR: Irrati 
AVAR: Chiffi 
 
Added time: 5’ e 15’ 
Possession: 47%-53% 
Corners: 4-5 
Booked: Grassi (E), Perez (U), Bastoni (E), Ismajli (E), Gyasi (E), Marin (E), Fazzini (E) 
 
Two last-minute penalties lead to a draw on Sunday afternoon at Bluenergy Stadium. 
 
Fabio Cannavaro was forced to make an early change in the 7th minute, bringing Brenner on for Issaac Succes due to injury. 
 
Udinese’s biggest chance of the first half came from Walace but Empoli keeper Caprile managed to get his fingertips to it. 
 
Empoli scored in the 36th minute but Youssef Maleh’s goal was ruled out following a lengthy VAR review for M’Baye Niang’s foul on Thomas Kristensen.
 
Another huge chance for Udinese came in the 57th minute when Lorenzo Lucca’s cross found Keinan Davis, who unfortunately headed the ball wide.
 
The first goal of the game came in the 90th minute after Empoli were awarded a penalty for Lazar Samardzic’s tackle on Nicolo Cambiaghi. Despite Maduka Okoye getting his fingertips to it, Niang converted the penalty, firing the ball into the bottom corner.
 
Deep into stoppage time, Udinese were given a penalty due to Jacopo Fazzini pulling Martin Payero back by his shirt. Samardzic stepped up to the spot and converted to draw the hosts level.
 
Samardzic’s late penalty means that Empoli drop back into the relegation zone and Udinese’s fate depends on their final match of the season against Frosinone.