Empoli claimed a fortuitous 1-0 victory in their Serie A clash with Torino at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday afternoon.
The Azzurri raced into an early lead courtesy of a Daniel Padelli own goal, and stayed in control of the match throughout as the Granata were unable to draw level.
Torino fell behind almost straight from kickoff after Padelli failed to control an Emiliano Moretti backpass and turned to see the ball rolling agonisingly over the line. Buoyed by their goal, the Azzurri pressed on and Matias Vecino drifted a shot onto the post only a couple of moments later.
The Granata struggled to get their game together, waiting until the 20th minute before creating anything of note, as Omar El Kaddouri played a weak volley towards goal. Empoli remained unbowed, with Riccardo Saponara bursting through Kamil Glik shortly afterwards only for Padelli to thwart his run before he could get a shot away.
Padelli was called into action again on the half-hour when Piotr Zielinski fizzed a shot from distance that he could only palm around his post, before Saponara hit the crossbar with a header from the resultant corner. Completing a nightmare half for the Torino goalkeeper, he spilled a simple through ball at the feet of Manuel Pucciarelli on the stroke of half time, but the forward was unable to find space enough to get a shot away.
The Granata emerged for the second half with a more attacking look that bore early fruit as El Kaddouri played in Cristian Molinaro, but the defender could only find the side netting with his shot. Giampiero Ventura went for broke a little before the hour, bringing on Bruno Peres and Maxi Lopez as his side strove for a leveller. With Empoli standing firm, the best efforts initially came from set pieces, particularly a corner that Glik hooked over.
The Azzurri sat deeper and deeper as the half went on, meaning Torino were able to exert a little more pressure, but still struggled to find a cutting edge. When the ball did fall for their strikers, as it did to Quagliarella after a scramble in the penalty area after 70 minutes, he stabbed it wide before seeing a drilled freekick deflected to safety by Luigi Sepe.
The last fifteen minutes saw Ventura’s side pressing and probing at Empoli’s defence, often looking for Peres to unlock the door, but with both forwards looking out of sorts, the Granata were unable to capitalise; even when Torino were able to create a couple of chances late on, their snatched shots flew wide of the target as Empoli held on for the three points.
