LA SPEZIA. Spezia tops Empoli 1-0 after M. Nzola scored just 1 goal (36′). Empoli lost this match even if it was better in terms of ball possession (59%).

The match was played at the Stadio Alberto Picco stadium in La Spezia on Sunday and it started at 8:45 pm local time. The referee was Daniele Chiffi with the support of Stefano Del Giovane and Daisuke Emanuele Yoshikawa. The 4th official was Andrea Colombo. The weather was cloudy. The temperature was hot at 25.7 degrees Celsius or 78.33 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 45%.​

Match Statistics​

Spezia

1 - 0

Empoli

  • 41 Ball Possession 59
Shots
  • 10 Total 18
  • 2 On Target 4
  • 8 Off Target 14
  • 2 Shots blocked 6
  • 92 Attack 133
  • 36 Dangerous attack 63
  • 70 Ball safe 95
  • 0 Penalties 0
  • 6 Corners 4
  • 3 Off Sides 1
Fouls
  • 15 Total 8
  • 2 Yellow Cards 1
  • 0 Double Yellow 0
  • 0 Red Card 0
Other
  • 5 Substitutions 3

Ball possession

Empoli had a strong ball possession 59% while Spezia was struggling with a 41% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Empoli was putting more pressure with 63 dangerous attacks and 18 shots of which 4 were on target. Even so, Spezia was capable to find the solution to win this encounter.​

Spezia shot 10 times, 2 on target, 8 off target. Talking about the opposition, Empoli shot 18 times, 4 on target, 14 off target.

Cards

Spezia received 2 yellow cards (E. Gyasi and A. Reca). On the opposite side, Empoli received 1 yellow card (L. Henderson).

Match Timeline

4'
Emmanuel Gyasi- Yellow
14'
36'
54'
Nicolò Cambiaghi- sub ->L. Henderson
Arkadiusz Reca - Yellow
60'
61'
72'
75'
75'
88'
Jacopo Fazzini- sub ->F. Bandinelli
90'
90'

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
Napoli
90
38
Lazio
74
38
Inter
72
38
Milan
70
38
Atalanta
64
38
Roma
63
38
Juventus
62
38
Fiorentina
56
38
Bologna
54
38
Torino
53
38
Monza
52
38
Udinese
46
38
Sassuolo
45
38
Empoli
43
38
Salernitana
42
38
Lecce
36
38
Spezia
31
38
Hellas Verona
31
38
Cremonese
27
38
Sampdoria
19
38

After this encounter, Spezia has points to occupy the 0th place in the table. On the opposite side, Empoli stays with points (0th).

Next matches

In the next match in the Serie A, Spezia will play away with Inter on the 20th of August with a 3-0 head to head stats in favor of Inter (1 draw).

Empoli will host Hellas Verona on the 31st of August with a 3-3 head to head record.

Spezia – Formation

Spezia
G
Bartlomiej Dragowski 69.Poland
8.3
D
Mattia Caldara 29.Italy
7.0
D
J. Kiwior 14.Poland
7.2
D
Dimitrios Nikolaou 43.Greece
7.1
M
Emmanuel Gyasi 11.Ghana
6.5
75' 4'
M
K. Agudelo 33.Colombia
7.9
90'
M
Mehdi Bourabia 6.Morocco
6.9
90'
M
Simone Bastoni 20.Italy
8.1
M
Arkadiusz Reca 13.Poland
7.8
75' 60'
F
Daniele Verde 10.Italy
6.7
61'
F
M'Bala Nzola 18.Angola
7.2
36'
Substitutes
G
Jeroen Zoet 1.Netherlands
G
Petar Zovko 40.Bosnia and Herzegovina
D
Petko Hristov 15.Bulgaria
D
Elio Capradossi 23.Italy
D
Nicolò Bertola 77.Italy
D
J. Sala 7.Italy
90'
D
Emil Holm 2.Sweden
6.7
75'
M
A. Ekdal 8.Sweden
6.4
61'
M
Emil Kornvig 19.Denmark
M
Mikael Egill Ellertsson 28.Iceland
90'
F
S. Podgoreanu 17.Israel
F
Daniel Maldini 30.Italy
F
David Strelec 44.Slovakia
6.2
75'

Spezia started with a 3-5-2 line-up (3-5-2).

The manager Luca Gotti decided to play with the following team: Bartłomiej Drągowski (8.3), Mattia Caldara (7.0), Jakub Kiwior (7.2), Dimitris Nikolaou (7.1), Emmanuel Gyasi (6.5), Kevin Agudelo (7.9), Mehdi Bourabia (6.9), Simone Bastoni (8.1), Arkadiusz Reca (7.8), Daniele Verde (6.7) and M’Bala Nzola (7.2).

The home team had on the bench: Jeroen Zoet, Petar Zovko, Emil Holm (6.7), Petko Hristov, Elio Capradossi, Nicolò Bertola, Jacopo Sala, Albin Ekdal (6.4), Emil Kornvig, Mikael Ellertsson, Suf Podgoreanu, Daniel Maldini and David Strelec (6.2).

Substitutions

Spezia made 5 changes: D. Verde for A. Ekdal (61′), E. Gyasi for D. Strelec (75′), A. Reca for E. Holm (75′), M. Bourabia for J. Sala (90′) and K. Agudelo for M. E. Ellertsson (90′).

Best player: Bartłomiej Drągowski​

Following our analysis, the most impressive player for Spezia was the goalkeeper: Bartłomiej Drągowski. His rating is 8.31. He performed 5 saves.

Empoli – Formation

Empoli
G
Guglielmo Vicario 13.Italy
6.4
D
Petar Stojanović 30.Slovenia
7.4
D
Ardian Ismajli 34.Albania
7.2
D
Sebastiano Luperto 33.Italy
6.3
D
Fabiano Parisi 65.Italy
6.8
M
Liam Henderson 8.Scotland
6.8
54' 14'
M
Răzvan Marin 18.Romania
7.1
M
Filippo Bandinelli 25.Italy
6.6
88'
M
Nedim Bajrami 10.Albania
7.3
F
Mattia Destro 23.Italy
6.7
72'
F
Sam Lammers 7.Netherlands
7.2
Substitutes
G
Samuele Perisan 1.Italy
D
G. Guarino 36.Italy
D
Liberato Cacace 3.New Zealand
M
Leo Stulac 5.Slovenia
M
Giovanni Crociata 15.Italy
M
D. Degli Innocenti 20.Italy
M
Jacopo Fazzini 21.Italy
6.4
88'
M
Tommaso Baldanzi 35.Italy
F
E. Ekong 17.Sweden
F
Nicolò Cambiaghi 28.Italy
6.8
54'
F
D. Merola 68.Italy
F
Martín Satriano 9.Uruguay
72'

Empoli started with a 4-3-1-2 line-up (4-3-1-2).

Paolo Zanetti played with: Guglielmo Vicario (6.4), Petar Stojanović (7.4), Ardian Ismajli (7.2), Sebastiano Luperto (6.3), Fabiano Parisi (6.8), Liam Henderson (6.8), Răzvan Marin (7.1), Filippo Bandinelli (6.6), Nedim Bajrami (7.3), Sam Lammers (7.2) and Mattia Destro (6.7).

The following players were sitting on the bench: Gabriele Indragoli, Samuele Perisan, Gabriele Guarino, Liberato Cacace, Leo Štulac, Giovanni Crociata, Duccio Degli Innocenti, Jacopo Fazzini (6.4), Tommaso Baldanzi, Emmanuel Ekong, Nicolò Cambiaghi (6.8), Davide Merola, Martín Satriano and Gian Marco Fantoni.

Substitutions

Empoli made 3 changes: L. Henderson for N. Cambiaghi (54′), M. Destro for M. Satriano (72′) and F. Bandinelli for J. Fazzini (88′).

Best player: Petar Stojanović​

The most impressive player for Empoli was Petar Stojanović.

His rating is (7.4) with 79 passes (79% accurate) and 3 key passes. He was won 3 duels out of 4. He performed 3 crosses.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the Serie A.​