Empoli and Parma took home a point each on Sunday afternoon following a highly entertaining 2-2 draw at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.
The visitors opened the scoring in the first half through Francesco Lodi, but the home team struck back twice before half time with Massimo Maccarone and Lorenzo Tonelli finding the back of the net. Empoli appeared as if they would go on and win this contest but a Ishak Belfodil equaliser midway through the second half rescued at point for the Ducali to stave off relegation for another week.
Both these sides started this match with great enthusiasm, playing with a high tempo but it was Empoli who began with far more attacking intent than their visitors which is hardly surprising given their respective positions in the Serie A standings.
Certainly, the hosts controlled the opening stages of this contest, with the Tuscan’s playing a very fluid, attractive brand of passing football, although the Ducali did restrict their early chances mostly to corners.
However, it was Parma who took the lead against the run of play in the 19th minute. The ball was cut back to Massimo Coda on the edge of the home box and although Empoli charged down his shot, Lodi was the first to the lose ball, striking it low and hard across Luigi Sepe and into the bottom right hand corner.
After conceding, Empoli continued to play with belligerence but they struggled to create clear goal scoring opportunities, despite dominating possession and producing some extremely pleasing football.
An Azzurri equaliser was always coming and it arrived in the 31st minute when Riccardo Saponara, breaking into the left hand channel, cut the ball back with precision right into the path of Maccarone who smashed it past Antonio Mirante to deservedly draw Empoli level.
With the momentum of the game again in their favour, Empoli did not sit back and they really went for Parma, attacking in wave after wave of blue. The inevitable break through came just before half time when Tonelli burst late into the box and rose above everyone else to connect with Mirko Valdifiori’s corner, sending a powerful header pass Mirante to put his side 2-1 as the referee ended the first half.
Empoli continued to control proceedings after the break and only an acrobatic double save from Mirante in the 50th minute, first from Saponara and then from Daniele Croce, kept Parma from going two goals down while the second half was still in its infancy.
Parma did come into the game slightly more as the second half developed, but the Crociati always looked vulnerable at the back, especially when Empoli attacked with pace, with Saponara and Maccarone looking particularly dangerous. The few chances Parma were able to create were from distance and rarely troubled Sepe in the home goal.
Empoli’s failure to kill off this tie was then punished in the 73rd minute when a speculative Parma effort from range unexpectedly came back off the crossbar and fell perfectly to Belfodil who was lurking inside the home box. The substitute blasted home from close range to bring the sides level once again.
Both these sides had opportunities to win this match during the closing stages but neither side was able to find the back of the net again as they ultimately shared the points.
