Empoli-Naples 0-2 The record The Castellani challenge between Empoli and Naples opens the 24th day. Intense match from the first minutes, after 15 minutes Ismajli’s own goal pushes the Azzurri forward, then before the half hour comes the doubling of the usual Osimhen. Vicario avoids the trio, the crossbar denies Kim the goal. In the second half chance for Lozano, then Mario Rui was sent off (after on field review) in the 67th minute. Azzurri +18 points ahead of Inter expected tomorrow at lunchtime from Bologna
ANSA.it
Goal: 17′ pt Ismajli (aut.), 28′ Osimhen (ANSA)
CLASSIFICATION
THE 24TH DAY
Napoli also beat Empoli, 2-0 at the ‘Castellani’. ‘And she leaves, the leaders leave’, as the Azzurri fans already sang in the first half, when the result was consolidated thanks to an own goal by Ismajli and a goal by Osimhen. In the second half, despite Mario Rui’s expulsion, the music didn’t change in the slightest and Napoli in ten only had to control the Tuscans, risking if anything even making a trio. There are 21 victories now for the Neapolitans, out of 24 league games. And this is the eighth success in a row in Serie A. There are also eight consecutive championship games in which Victor Osimhen scores. Not only that: Spalletti’s team finds itself again with a ‘sidereal’ +18 on Inter, second in the standings, waiting for the other matches. Something more than a breakaway: even at the ‘Castellani’ the superiority was striking. Therefore, everything flows in the right direction in Naples. In the match after a good start to break the deadlock, Ismajli’s own goal arrived in the 17th minute. On the developments of one of the many corners of the match, Kvaratskhelia’s cross finds Zielinski on the other side, but the counter-cross is deflected into a goal by the Albanian. The doubling comes on the wings of enthusiasm, on 28′, again from a corner. Kvaratskhelia centers and kicks towards Vicario whose rebound is pushed into the net by Osimhen, the classic tap-in for the top scorer on his 21st goal of the season. In the first half finale, Vicario again passed himself face to face with Osimhen. From the following corner, Kim hit the crossbar, anticipating everyone inside the small area. In the second half things seem to get better for Empoli. In the meantime, Zanetti had inserted Caputo for Piccoli since the local striker had left the bench due to pain in his foot. Just on Caputo there is the inevitable expulsion of Mario Rui who kicked the attacker from the ground after a clash with his bad fall. But the script does not change: Naples with the ball in hand and in any case dangerous at the entrance of Simeone for Osimhen. Empoli, however, never dangerous in terms of results. Just some good ideas from Satriano and little else. However for the Tuscans this was not the match in which to look for the safety points and they knew it well in the Tuscan city, so no drama in front of a Naples that literally travels to another planet. With impressive numbers, because Inter’s +18, even while waiting for the Nerazzurri to take the field, says a lot about the championship that Spalletti’s team is enjoying: and the coach, who has always preached caution, continues not to comment too much on the final goal, but praise his own. And he speaks of a “mature team, midfield with a shitty face … right to win games! Osimhen said something as a leader in the locker room” Spalletti’s words. Who underlines the episode of Mario Rui’s expulsion: “That was a sign of lack of maturity, but in football it can happen. But even with the man down, the desire of the other players to make up for the difficulties emerged”. Napoli goes for him, the dream is now one step away.
breaking latest news © Copyright ANSA