Empoli completed a 3-0 thumping of Carpi at the Stadio Carlo Castellani in their Sunday afternoon Serie A fixture.
A brace from Massimo Maccarone and one from Riccardo Saponara earned the Tuscans their third consecutive league win.
The visitors posed the early threat, striker Ryder Matos eased Lorenzo Tonelli off the ball and dashed toward goal, but he was met by Lukasz Skorupski who smothered the ball at the Brazilian’s feet. The Tuscans responded through Leandro Paredes, who had an effort from distance that just went past the post.
Matos tried to fashion a goal on the edge of the box, but his final effort went wide. Empoli then had the chance of the half. Paredes picked out Andrea Costa from a set piece, who headed the ball into the ground and saw it go agonisingly wide; millimeters in it.
When the second half started the Azzurri finally opened the score, Piotr Zielinski picked out Massimo Maccarone who beat the offside trap and finished coolly past Vid Belec.
The hosts doubled the lead shortly after through their talisman Riccardo Saponara. Maccarone turned provider with a great through-ball, but still needed a lot from Saponara who finished from an acute angle.
Empoli pressed home their advantage yet further. Marcel Buchel picked out Maccarone with a great diagonal pass, the striker lifting the ball out of the reach of Belec to get his second.
Substitute Antonio Di Gaudio had one final chance from a corner, but Tonelli thwarted the winger on the goalmouth.
The Tuscans go 10th and will now travel to face Bologna before the Christmas break, while Carpi in 19th have the grim task of hosting a rejuvenated Juventus.
