Despite creating significantly more chances than Empoli, Napoli Primavera suffered their fifth defeat in six matches. The Azzurrini have one match remaining before they play against either Cagliari or Atalanta in the relegation playoff.
Lineup
Nicolò Frustalupi made two changes to the squad he fielded in the loss to Fiorentina. Daniel Hysaj returned to the starting XI to play in the back three over Luigi D’Avino. Meanwhile, Cedrick Koffi started at trequartista over Bilel Sahli.
(3-4-2-1) Boffelli; Hysaj, Barba, Obaretin; Acampa, Gioielli, Iaccarino, Gningue; Koffi, Spavone; Rossi
First Half
Empoli didn’t waste any time, opening the scoring less than three minutes into the match. Daniel Hysaj was too casual on the ball, allowing Samuele Angori to slide in and block the clearance. The ball ricocheted perfectly to Luca Magazzú, who dribbled into the area before calmly picking the top corner at the far post.
Napoli responded well, pressing high to pin Empoli in their own third for the following twnety minutes. The home side defended well, clearing Napoli’s many crosses into the area. The Azzurrini created their first quality chance in the 12th minute. Alessandro Spavone picked out Francesco Gioielli in the area with a cross from the right edge of the area. Gioielli controlled the ball with his back to goal before teeing up Davide Acampe at the edge of the area. The left-sided midfielder struck the ball first-time but his shot finished narrowly wide of the far post.
The visitors came close again five minutes later. After rotating the ball from left to right, Benedetto Barba played Spavone into the right side of the area. The Napoli trequartista got to the ball before the by line and cut it back into the area. He was trying to pick out the run of Leonardo Rossi, but goalkeeper Gian Marco Fantoni did well to intercept the pass.
Spavone caused plenty of problems for the Empoli back line. In the 25th minute he picked out Gioielli with a cross to the second post. Had it not been for a very important intervention from wing-back Lorenzo Tropea, the Napoli midfielder would have tapped in the equalizer.
Napoli’s best chance of the half came two minutes later, after Obaretin pressed high to win the ball back in the Empoli half. Gioielli squared the ball to Spavone, who cut back toward the centre of the park before striking the ball on target with plenty of venom. However, Fantoni was sharp, diving to his left to push the ball away.
Not to be outdone, Empoli went back on the offensive for the final 15 minutes of the half. At the half-hour mark, Fantoni caught Napoli off-guard, launching the ball forward with a quickly-taken free kick. Herculano Nabian was first to track down the ball on the Empoli right wing. The striker ran at Obaretin before striking the ball on target, but Valerio Boffelli was well-positioned to make the save.
Second Half
Napoli created the first chance of the second half, after Spavone was fouled by Angori on the right side of the midfield. The visitors ran a set piece, with Cedrick Koffi and Gennaro Iaccarino standing over the ball. Koffi touched the ball to Iaccarino, who carried the ball towards the area before striking it with the outside of his right boot. However, the shot swerved back towards the centre of the goal and Fantoni made the save.
The Azzurrini continued to push for the equalizer, creating another chance only minutes later. Barba played a diagonal pass to Koffi in the centre of the midfield. His shot from distance was blocked by Gabriele Indragoli, but the rebound spilled towards the edge of the area. Gioielli was first to the ball and hit the target while spinning, but the low shot was straight at Fantoni, who made another save.
In the 62nd minute, Koffi played the ball through to Lamine on the right side of the area. He crossed to Iaccarino at the second post, but the midfielder’s volley took a slight deflection off of Jordan Boli and finished wide of the mark.
Napoli came closest to scoring five minutes later. Spavone pressured Matteo Mannelli into turning the ball over inside the Empoli half. Koffi teed up Jorge Alastuey at the edge of the area and the substitute struck the ball sweetly with his preferred left boot, beating Fantoni but not the upright.
The visitors were made to pay for squandering so many opportunities, with Empoli doubling their lead against the run of play in the 74th minute. The home side broke out of their own area with two passes. Indragoli played the ball forward to Endri Zenelaj and he broke the lines with a pass forward to Francesco Vallarelli. The substitute carried the ball across midfield before passing to Lorenzo Ignacchiti on his left. The Empoli captain took one touch before striking the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Despite the two-goal deficit, Napoli were determined to get a goal. Frustalupi’s substitutions provided a boost of energy off the bench. Pasquale Maranzino came close on multiple occasions before Francesco Lorusso finally netted for Napoli. In the 92nd minute, Enrico Giannini crossed the ball into the area from the left wing. The ball ricocheted off Hysaj at the second post and fell kindly to Lorusso, who slotted in his first of the season.
Though the goal was too late, Empoli immediately added a third for good measure. Empoli played a long ball forward to Vallarelli, who chased the ball down on the left wing. The substitute carried the ball into the area before his strike deflected off of Obaretin to lob over Boffelli.
Napoli nearly added a second in the final minute of stoppage time. After a short corner kick, Lorenzo Russo played an in-swinging cross into the area from the right wing. Hysaj directed a header towards the bottom corner at the far post, but Fantoni made an excellent diving save.
Ultimately, the result did not matter as Napoli were mathematically guaranteed to play in the relegation playoff heading into this match. However, it was their fifth defeat in five matches, the other being a draw. The Azzurrini’s opponent in the playoff will be determined on the final matchday of the season.
