Football Italia
·31 August 2024
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·31 August 2024
All the action was in the opening three minutes, as Emmanuel Gyasi replied to Giovanni Fabbian, as Bologna are still without a victory and Empoli remain unbeaten.
The Rossoblu were stumbling under new coach Vincenzo Italiano, managing only a draw with Udinese and 3-0 defeat at Napoli. Dan Ndoye was ruled out for three weeks with a muscular strain, joining Martin Erlic, Nicolò Cambiaghi, Oussama El Azzouzi and Lewis Ferguson on the treatment table. Empoli were still unbeaten and fresh from a shock victory away to Roma, despite missing Samuele Perisan, Junior Sambia, Szymon Zurkowski, Luca Belardinelli and Tyronne Ebuehi, with coach Roberto D’Aversa still suspended.
It took barely 90 seconds for Bologna to take the lead, as a corner was flicked on by Sam Beukema for Giovanni Fabbian to be left unmarked to tap in at the back post.
However, the hosts were still celebrating when they conceded the equaliser, distracted on an Empoli counter-attack so Giuseppe Pezzella floated a ball to the far stick where Emmanuel Gyasi cushioned it gently over the line with his chest.
Devis Vasquez had to be alert to make a desperate reaction save, clawing what would’ve been an own goal off the line from the clumsy deflection.
Lukasz Skorupski also made a big save, although it was more of a shocking miss from Ola Solbakken, who barely prodded the Pezzella roll across from the left straight at the goalkeeper from six yards out.
Bologna almost scored a truly bizarre goal on 42 minutes, as Goglichidze’s clearance hit teammate Gyasi in the face, the ricochet turning into an accidental assist for Riccardo Orsolini, who blasted over the bar.
Orsolini also saw a curler deflected for a corner, while Pietro Pellegri on his Empoli debut had penalty appeals for a clumsy Stefan Posch intervention.
Fabbian 2 (B), Gyasi 3 (E)