Toro, who comeback in Empoli: Ricci and Sanabria make it 2-2, then Miranchuk hits the post in the 91st minute

From our correspondent Matteo Dalla Vite

January 28th
– EMPOLI

A recovery lived with depth and will, with quality and physicality, reviving with football arguments and only conceding a Eurogoal to Marin, allows Turin to resume a match that seemed to have slipped away. It seemed, indeed. Ricci (who does not rejoice: man of the match) and Sanabria put everything back into balance by recovering from the double disadvantage, the one that Empoli had built up with Luperto and – precisely – with the former Cagliari midfielder. Solitude resistance and resilience on the part of the grenades who, even from the worst moments, drew fuel to become ruthless: in the end, Torino could even win it with the changes that gave the turning point, but Vicario was able to stifle a shot by Miranchuk who was one step away from expiring he also took the post (the second of the match) dreaming of the turnaround. Two by two final: there was a fight and also moments of well-prepared football.

Startup and downside

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An icy wind blows at Castellani and dirty some trajectories: Juric, who has to do without Zyma and Djidji, after the great victory in Florence makes Bayeye debut in A (already used in the Italian Cup, golden assist at San Siro) and shows off his 3-4-2-1 with the confirmation of Seck as first striker supported by the duo Radonjic-Vlasic. Zanetti, fresh from the “three struts” of San Siro and from five matches without defeats, proposes Baldanzi again (on which Juric alternates one between Buongiorno and Schuurs) behind Satriano and Ciccio Caputo, signing in January. In the 1st minute there is a trivial shot by Caputo that Vanja controls without problems while Toro’s first acute shot arrives in the fifth: Radonijc shoots high, Vicario remains safe. It’s not a start that catches the eye: the Tuscans try something more, they have stubbornness and initiative, but the Taurus, man on man (Vlasic tries to dry up Marin’s ideas), tends to exploit every gap and opportunity that opens up in the Zanetti grid. Empoli got their first real chance: 28′, Marin’s shot from outside which Vanja countered. Ten minutes earlier, however, the Bull could have carved out the possibility of hurting the Tuscans: on development from behind, Vicario serves Baldanzi on whom he intervenes – at full height from Empoli – Good morning. For Marcenaro it’s a foul but it was an advance that was more unpunishable than not. There is no foul for the referee, however, which Vanja and the Toro bench ask for, on Luperto’s cut in the box that gives Empoli the lead in the 37th minute: a corner from Marin, the Empoli defender slips and scores 1-0 between the protests of the grenade goalkeeper and for the first personal joy.

Ricci’s pole

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Juric, at the dawn of the second half, decides to increase his offensive weight and change something in the middle: Linetty gives way to Lukic, Sanabria takes that of Seck, dynamic but not too incisive in the first half of the game: Toro opens the second half taking more initiatives and Juric redraws the lead actors also inserting Miranchuk and Singo for Radonjic and Bayeye. Thus, the grenades raise the pace by allowing less space, press Empoli more in their own half and in the area, seek depth with more productive insistence: to such an extent that, in the 15th minute, Ricci with his heel hits the post after a cross from Voyvoda. It’s Toro’s golden moment: Vicario neutralizes a shot from Miranchuk and checks (20′) a razor from outside the area again by Ricci that touches the external net; all after Zanetti slipped Haas and Cambiaghi for Akpa Akpro (who gets his first correct yellow card of the match) and Baldanzi, the latter electric for a handful of matches.

Marin, penalty and 2-2

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Then, like an unexpected bolt of lightning and after a few minutes of real suffering, Empoli scores the 2-0: Marin invents an amazing goal from 25 meters (perhaps touched by Schuurs), Vanja can do nothing and Toro – who had tasted the equal – must start grinding willpower again. Zanetti puts Bajrami and Stojanovic in for Satriano and Cacace, tries to create qualitative conservation but in the 31st minute there is a doubt in the area: De Winter does not touch Miranchuk’s foot but then blocks it, Marcenaro hesitates, lets it slide but then waits for the restart of the game waiting for the check by Abbattista (Var): he doesn’t concede the penalty but the high contact exists. In the 37th minute, Toro’s efforts found meaning: Ricci put in the 2-1 with Stojanovic watching; the grenade, ex, does not rejoice and the game is still open. Juric puts Ola Aina in for Vojvoda and a minute later Sanabria equalizes the game: perhaps a fouled shot but it’s 2-2 five minutes from the end of regulation time. Then, the other post of Miranchuk: one step away from the turnaround in short. Empoli remains undefeated for the sixth game in a row, Toro offers himself full-bodied signals in anticipation of the Coppa Italia match, next Wednesday in Florence.