Final result: Empoli – Roma 2-1
EMPOLI (by Dimitri Conti)
Caprile 6.5 – He does everything he can to play his part in the undertaking. Only Aouar pierces him from close range, otherwise the same safety.
Bereszynski 5.5 – He starts off arm in arm, suffers from Zalewski’s combinations and flashes. Raised fifth at halftime, things are a little better there.
From 67′ Caputo 5.5 – It doesn’t change the fate of the Italian offensive situations in person, despite moving better than others.
Ismajli 6.5 – The importance of the central defenders’ performance is all in the second half, made up of very high re-aggressions and a constant presence in the Roma area.
Luperto 6.5 – As with Ismajli, the longer the match goes on the more he is needed in attack. Ending with passion and suffering, projected towards the assault.
Gyasi 6.5 – Already warned after 90 seconds, he still spends his time in the two phases. His assist was for Cancellieri, some suffering with Angelino.
From 46′ Walukiewicz 6 – He plays as the right-hand man, also alternating in some situations with Bereszynski. He holds up well.
Sticks 6 – Adapted to midfield and on the side of the weak foot, he must provide substance. Good performance, he’s not very bad in the area at the start of the second half.
From 55′ Fazzini 5.5 – Still young and still to be built, perhaps he wasn’t the right man for the tense finale. He misses several balls and choices.
Marine 6.5 – An improving performance, in the final he delivers the balls of desperation into the area. First he had hit the crossbar from very far away.
Maleh 6 – He chases opponents like a madman, which is why he is sometimes a little lacking in clarity, but what do you want to tell him? Wrestler.
From 77′ Cambiaghi sv.
Cacace 6.5 – So timid and imprecise in the first half and explosive and difficult to stop in the second. Overall more than good.
Chancellors 7.5 – In an open field he is a factor, see the 1-0 restart and his first half in general. The assist to Niang was the icing on the cake.
Right 5.5 – A surprise choice, he hopes to hurt one of his former teams. She would even have the opportunity a couple of times but she fails.
From 46′ Niang 7.5 – From a profile like his we expect him to be able to influence the fate of the match and salvation, so it happens in the final.
Davide Nicola 8 – His Empoli entered the game well, driven by the sold-out Castellani team to find the immediate advantage. The 1-0 holds until almost half-time, then Aouar scores: everything to do again. In the second half he began to gradually raise his center of gravity by introducing attacking men, and was rewarded in the recovery by Niang: yet another great feat.
ROME (by Alessio Piazza)
Svilar 6 – He can’t do anything about the 1-0 goal. However, Niang’s goal at the end of the match was not perfect. The Giallorossi goalkeeper alternates some mistakes in his area where he risks having the ball stolen, with perfect exits to close the mirror.
Angelino 6 – He misses his save on Gyasi during Empoli’s opening goal. Then it grows, a lot of running and often interesting crosses, like the one that leads to the equalizer at the end of the first half.
Ndicka 5.5 – Accomplice on the goal conceded due to wrong positioning. For the rest school game.
Left-handed 5 – He doesn’t move forward much and suffers from Cancellieri’s counterattacks and speed. Bad finish also at the end where he is preceded by Niang.
Celik 6 – He didn’t push much in the first half but when he did he made himself dangerous with excellent crosses.
Aouar 6 – First half to forget if not for the equalizer. Wrong settings, imprecise phrasing, often late interventions and turnovers in dangerous parts of the pitch. From 74′ Pilgrims 5.5 – Not the best entrance for the Giallorossi captain who, after a few minutes, immediately gave Empoli a dangerous restart. He improves as the minutes pass and manages the ball well in midfield with his usual through balls.
Cristante 5.5 – This evening the bass director has to deal with a Destro in the “better times” version which often puts him in difficulty. A few too many inaccuracies even on long throws which are usually his trademark.
Ox 5.5 – A lot of running but when I have to propose he is always hidden by the opponents. He lacks a bit of character in being served by his teammates.
Zalewski 6.5 – Good incursions and often dangerous crosses. From his side he makes it clear that every occasion can become interesting. From 79′ El Shaarawy SV
Abraham 5 – A bit of bad luck, a bit of form to be found again, but even this evening the killer instinct is lacking. He was stopped by a clever Gyasi on several occasions from the edge of the area. Impalpable performance. From 74′ Azmoun 5.5 – You can only see it at the end where Pellegrini serves well. For the rest, another dull performance.
Dybala 6 – He opens the evening with a somewhat chewed-up five-a-side shot, then shows that it’s always best not to leave him too much space on his left foot. From 89′ Costa SV
De Rossi 6 – His Roma started off badly, perhaps also following Atalanta’s result which definitively cut them out of the Champions League. After shaking his head several times, he goes back to shaking his players as he has done since day one and the team starts to grind out the game. A match that serves as an experience for the young coach who, despite his first great experience, shows that he has the qualities to sit there, on the bench of his favorite team.