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Empoli’s start to Serie A

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Empoli’s start to Serie A
Empoli’s start to Serie A
Empoli’s start to Serie A

Newly-promoted Empoli currently sit just above the relegation zone in 17th position after posting one win, four draws and four defeats from their start to life back in the top flight.

They saw in the season with a 2-0 defeat to Udinese at the Stadio Friuli, with an Antonio Di Natale double ensuring a winning introduction to the Zebrette dugout for Andrea Stramaccioni.

Their next assignment saw them go tantalisingly close to stopping title contenders Roma - but Luigi Sepe’s own goal enabled the Giallorossi to walk away from the Stadio Castellini with all three points.

A morale boosting recovery from two goals down earned the Azzurri their first point of the season in Cesena, with Francesco Tavano and Daniel Rugani responding to two first-half goals for the hosts that came against the run of play.

But Maurizio Sarri’s men experienced the other side of the coin when Milan came to town, seeing a two-goal lead - established by Manuel Pucciarelli and Lorenzo Tonelli - slip agonisingly through their fingers as Fernando Torres and Keisuke Honda struck to seal a share of the spoils.

Pucciarelli was again on target in the Azzurri’s subsequent trip to Verona, netting after the break to earn a 1-1 draw after Riccardo Meggiorini had put Chievo in front.

After a six-game wait, Empoli tasted that winning feeling when they breezed past fellow strugglers Palermo with a 3-0 victory in front of their own fans. Massimo Maccarone, Tonelli and Pucciarelli made the result safe by the midway point of the second-half.

An impressive draw away at Genoa aside, in which Tonelli levelled up Andrea Bertolacci's early strike, times have been tough for the Azzurri of late, with defensive frailties exposed in heavy defeats to Cagliari (4-0) and Sassuolo (3-1).

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