EMPOLI, ITALY – DECEMBER 28: Milan Badelj of Genoa CFC celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Empoli and Genoa at Stadio Carlo Castellani on December 28, 2024 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Empoli were left to rue a wasted penalty in their 2-1 home defeat to Genoa, decided by Milan Badelj and Caleb Ekuban goals.
Both sides were coming off defeats and eager to remain relatively mid-table, but also dealing with numerous injuries. The hosts missed Mattia Viti, Pietro Pellegri, Ola Solbakken, Nicolas Haas, Tyronne Ebuehi and Saba Sazonov. The visitors fresh from their first defeat under Patrick Vieira were without Mario Balotelli, Alan Matturro, Junior Messias, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Honest Ahanor.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Emmanuel Gyasi ran onto a ball over the top and went around the goalkeeper to hit the side-netting after 65 seconds, but he was offside.
Liam Henderson scuffed the finish wide from a promising position, while Ardian Ismajli made an astonishing inch-perfect sliding tackle to stop Alessandro Zanoli shooting from eight yards.
At the other end, Stefano Turati had his gloves stung by Tino Anjorin, but Genoa had another injury setback when losing Brook Norton-Cuffy to a thigh issue.
Liberato Cacace was sent down the left by Henderson just before half-time and his powerful strike was palmed onto the upright by Nicola Leali.
Genoa took the lead within 30 seconds of the restart, as Vitinha robbed Goglichidze inside the penalty area, the Andrea Pinamonti attempt was charged down, but Milan Badelj pounced to score from six yards.
Empoli received a penalty following the VAR review for the mis-timed Johan Vasquez sliding tackle on Sebastiano Esposito, who had already rolled across for Lorenzo Colombo. Esposito stepped up, but Leali palmed the spot-kick onto the upright.
Colombo’s first touch let him down on a Gyasi assist, while Fabio Miretti blasted inches wide from the edge of the area.
Genoa doubled their lead with two substitutes combining, as Miretti got down the left and rolled across, Caleb Ekuban getting there ahead of Ismajli to tap in from six yards.
Esposito somewhat made up for the earlier penalty by getting Empoli back into the game with his looping header into the far top corner on Anjorin’s assist.
Morten Frendrup threw himself in the path of an Esposito strike and Ismajli made another decisive tackle to stop Vitinha completing a counter-attack, but Empoli could not turn it around.
Empoli 1-2 Genoa
Badelj 46 (G), Ekuban 68 (G), Esposito 74 (E)
Saved penalty: Esposito 54 (E)
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