Coppa Italia: Empoli Edges Fiorentina in Penalty Shootout

Empoli secures a thrilling 2-2 draw against Fiorentina, advancing to the Coppa Italia quarterfinals via penalty shootout.

Empoli advanced to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals after a thrilling 2-2 draw against Fiorentina, followed by a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout. The visitors made a strong start, with Emmanuel Ekong scoring the opening goal just four minutes into the match. However, Fiorentina responded in the second half, with Moise Kean and Riccardo Sottil finding the back of the net.

Despite Fiorentina's efforts to take control, Empoli refused to give up. Sebastiano Esposito scored the equalizing goal 15 minutes before full-time, sending the match into a penalty shootout. The tension was palpable as the two teams faced off in the shootout. Ultimately, it was Empoli who emerged victorious, thanks in part to the missed penalties from Fiorentina's Moise Kean and Luca Ranieri.

Sebastiano Esposito proved to be the hero for Empoli, as he converted the winning penalty to send his team through to the quarter-finals. The victory marked a significant upset for Empoli, who had been considered the underdogs against their more fancied opponents. As a result of their win, Empoli will now advance to the last eight of the Coppa Italia, where they will face a new challenge in their pursuit of the title.

Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino opted for continuity, making only minor adjustments to the team that played against Inter in Serie A on Sunday. In contrast, Empoli's Roberto D'Aversa took a more experimental approach, fielding a youthful side that included 18-year-old Lorenzo Tosto and 20-year-old Luca Marianucci in the back three.

The match was preceded by a poignant tribute to Fiorentina's Edoardo Bove, who collapsed during Sunday's Serie A match against Inter and remains in intensive care. The 22-year-old midfielder has shown encouraging signs of recovery, having been awake and alert since Monday. The pre-match tribute served as a heartfelt gesture of support for Bove and his family during this challenging time.

The Fiorentina faithful in the Curva Nord section of the stadium paid a touching tribute to Edoardo Bove, displaying a giant tifo with his shirt number. The Fiorentina players and staff also showed their support, holding up banners before kickoff, including one that read: “We'll wait for you, Edo.” This heartfelt gesture set the tone for a highly emotional and intense match.

The game got off to a blistering start, with Empoli taking the lead just four minutes in. Lucas Martinez Quarta's careless giveaway in midfield allowed Emmanuel Ekong to seize the opportunity. Ekong then capitalized on the mistake, dispatching a clinical finish past Pietro Terracciano in a one-on-one situation. Fiorentina struggled to regain their footing after this early setback, but they eventually began to find their rhythm.

Moise Kean proved to be the catalyst for Fiorentina's resurgence, scoring the equalizing goal to level the score. A clever exchange between Riccardo Sottil and Amir Rrahmani in the box led to a save by Empoli goalkeeper Jacopo Furlan, but Kean was on hand to tap in the rebound from just two yards out, restoring parity to the match.

Riccardo Sottil thought he had secured the win for Fiorentina with just under 20 minutes remaining. Collecting the ball on the left flank, Sottil cut inside and unleashed a shot that found its way into the far corner, albeit with a slight deflection off Robin Gosens. However, Empoli's response was swift, and they equalized just a few minutes later.

Empoli's Sebastiano Esposito capitalized on a precise through-ball from Liam Henderson, finding himself one-on-one with Pietro Terracciano. Esposito showcased his composure, delicately lifting the ball over the Fiorentina goalkeeper to level the scores once again. In the dying moments of the match, Kean came agonizingly close to scoring the winner for Fiorentina, but goal-line technology intervened, ruling that the ball had not crossed the line. The follow-up attempt by Ardian Ismajli also narrowly missed, as the match ultimately headed to a penalty shootout.

The penalty shootout got off to a confident start, with the first three spot-kicks being successfully converted. Albert Gudmundsson, Lorenzo Colombo, and Christian Kouame all made no mistake, setting the tone for a high-stakes shootout. However, the first error occurred when Emmanuel Ekong failed to convert his penalty.

The shootout remained evenly poised, with Luca Ranieri missing his penalty for Fiorentina, while Liam Henderson scored for Empoli to level the shootout at 2-2 after three kicks each. Moise Kean then suffered a moment of misfortune, blasting his penalty high over the crossbar and into the stands. Luca Marianucci seized the opportunity to put Empoli ahead, scoring his penalty to give his team a 3-2 lead in the shootout.

Despite a late rally from Fiorentina, with Cataldi scoring their next penalty, it was too little, too late. Sebastiano Esposito stepped up to take Empoli's final penalty, blasting it straight down the middle to secure a 4-3 victory in the shootout. As a result, Empoli advanced to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the Juventus-Cagliari matchup.