Empoli bounced back from their midweek disappointment against Cesena with a comfortable win over Novara that edges them ever closer to a Serie A return.
Should the Tuscan side ultimately secure the points needed for promotion over the remaining weeks of the season, their insistence on making life difficult for themselves is likely to be a recurring theme during the run in.
Such was the case against Novara, who took the lead 20 minutes in after Marco Rigoni had been gifted acres of space to run in to and time to pick his spot before dispatching a stunning strike into the top corner. Take nothing away from the finish, but the defending that led to it was at best sloppy and at worst non-existent.
However, Maurizio Sarri’s side were level shortly before half-time, with the evergreen Francesco Tavano picking his spot before unleashing an equally impressive shot beyond the outstretched palm of Novara keeper Tomas Kosicky.
Tavano – Empoli
The tide had very much turned in the home side’s favour, and they were ahead inside first half injury time when Massimo Maccarone laid the ball into the path of Tavano, who turned inside his marker before gleefully steering home his 20th goal of another impressive campaign.
Novara meanwhile are desperate for points for very different reasons, and though they applied moderate pressure on Davide Bassi’s goal during the second half, any hopes of securing a useful draw evaporated with ten minutes remaining when Levan Mchedlidze rifled a long range effort in off the base of the post.
Cesena meanwhile also kept up their pursuit of second place, remaining three points adrift of Empoli having come from behind to secure a 2-1 win away to already relegated Reggina. Both sides will now keep a keen eye on how third placed Latina fare in their Monday night encounter with Siena, but Empoli now know that two wins from their final two games will be enough.
The line-up for this season’s play-offs continues to be a mystery. With two games remaining, Pescara are the only side in the entire division with nothing left to play for 15th placed Pescara can no longer secure a play-off berth following a 2-1 defeat to Padova, but any one of the sides above them can still entertain hopes of playing in Serie A next season.
Modena need just one point to be sure of a play-off place having secured a fourth straight win with a 1-0 victory over Avellino. Below them, Crotone endured a disappointing afternoon at relegated Juve Stabia, drawing 2-2, while it finished all square between seventh and eighth as Virtus Lanicano also held Spezia to a 2-2 draw.
Bari could move into the play-off places on Monday evening with victory over Cittadella, while Trapani kept their hopes alive with a 2-1 win over relegation threatened Ternana. Carpi likewise remain an interested party thanks to a 2-1 win at champions Palermo, while 14th placed Brescia are clinging to their hopes of promotion thanks to last gasp 2-1 win at Varese.
