AS Roma relied on a first half own goal to win 1-0 away at newly-promoted Empoli on Saturday, with Rudi García's team turning in an underwhelming performance. Perhaps they already have more than half an eye on their return to the Champions League in midweek.
Empoli vs. AS Roma: Final score 0-1, underwhelming Roma rely on own goal
Only a first-half own goal separated Roma and Serie A newcomers Empoli on Saturday.
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The game's only goal came courtesy of an error by Empoli goalkeeper Luigi Sepe on the stroke of halftime, with Radja Nainggolan's long-range drive rebounding off the post and against Sepe's head before nestling in the back of the net. The Tuscan hosts were extremely unfortunate to go behind, having been on top for the lion's share of the opening half.
Save for an early Alessandro Florenzi volley, which Sepe parried away well, Roma barely troubled Empoli's young defence in the opening few minutes. The Tuscans went close to breaking the deadlock themselves in the 19th minute, though impressive centre-back Lorenzo Tonelli saw his header deflected over the crossbar on a Mirko Valdifiori corner.
It took Roma 41 minutes to seriously scare the hosts, when Maicon slipped into the penalty area to knock Florenzi's header against the Empoli post, before Miralem Pjanić saw his follow-up desperately scrambled away. Francesco Tavano responded with smart free-kick a couple of minutes later, though his low drive was pounced upon by Roma keeper Morgan De Sanctis.
It looked ever more like the game would be goalless at the break, until Nainggolan’s low shot squirmed into the back of the net in stoppage time to silence the home crowd.
The Stadio Carlo Castellani was rejuvenated by Empoli’s bright start to the second half, though despite a string of corners soon after the restart, the hosts stayed in arrears. Maicon nearly punished their profligacy shortly before the hour mark, but he was denied by Sepe from point-blank range after a smart one-two with Florenzi.
Roma subsequently started to dominate possession for the first time in the match, and they pushed Empoli ever deeper. However, that didn’t stop the Tuscans giving their visitors a scare on the counter-attack when striker Levan Mchedlidze went down in the area with 20 minutes remaining, though no penalty was awarded against Kostas Manolas.
Mchedlidze continued to be a thorn in Roma’s side, though De Sanctis batted away his long-range strike in the 77th minute to ensure all three points for the visitors.
Empoli: Sepe; Hysaj, Rugani, Tonelli, Laurini; Croce (Zieliński 80’), Valdifiori, Vecino (Moro 62’); Verdi (Pucciarelli 63’); Tavano Mchedlidze.
Goals: None.
AS Roma: De Sanctis; Cole, Castán (Florenzi 46’), Manolas, Maicon; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Pjanić (Keita 68’); Ljajić (Gervinho 82’), Destro, Florenzi.
Goals: Sepe (o.g. 45+1’).
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