Atalanta 0-0 Empoli: La Dea and Azzurri cancel each other out

Date: 7th February 2016 at 8:00pm
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Empoli drew 0-0 at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia on Sunday night.

Though the first-half had numerous chances neither side were able to break deadlock. The second-half was rather tight as both sides defences improved, and eventually the two teams settled for a point.

The match started at a roaring pace and it was Empoli who created the first chance. Vincent Laurini played a lovely pass in behind the Orobici defence, which Marco Sportiello failed to claim.

The ball then fell to Piotr Zielinski, but the Polish midfielder stabbed his effort wide with the goal gaping.

Following this, the pace of the game slowed, however in the 23rd minute Alejandro Gomez, played a one-two with Mauricio Pinilla.

The Chilean forward crossed the ball back to Gomez, but like Zielinski he spurned the chance volleying his shot narrowly over the bar.

10 minutes before half-time Skorupski was forced into a smart save. A lightning counter-attack from Atalanta resulted in Jasmin Kurtic beating Empoli’s offside trap, but his strike was straight at the former Roma goalkeeper.

After half-time, Empoli started the better side and could have scored in the 52nd minute. A cross was whipped in by Zielinski to Riccardo Saponara, who inadvertently directed the ball onto the post before Andrea Masiello cleared.

The Orobici soon responded. A cross was whipped from the left-wing, which Lorenzo Tonelli could only clear to Diamanti, who drove his effort just over the bar.

Yet, despite this open start to the second-half, neither team took control of the match and it took until the 84th minute for the next clear cut opportunity.

Zielinski floated a ball over the La Dea defence, which Marko Livaja took down excellently, but his shot was expertly stopped by Sportiello.

However, that was last the meaningful chance of the match. The result leaves Atalanta in 13th place whereas Empoli stay in 8th place

 

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