Empoli-Catanzaro 1-0, a victory worth its weight in gold for the Azzurri.

Empoli, November 8, 2025 – After just over a month (Sud Tirol – Empoli 1-2 on October 5), Empoli returned to winning ways, beating Catanzaro 1-0 at the “Castellani” stadium despite playing for a half with ten men (Popov was sent off for a repeat of a booking). The first victory under Dionisi came on matchday 12 of the first half of the Serie B season, thanks to a penalty converted by Shpendi .

Thanks to this win, the Tuscan team temporarily climbs to thirteenth place in the standings with 14 points. It wasn't a match that will go down in the annals of football, but the three points are golden: during the match, Empoli even slipped into the playout zone. Among the numerous Azzurri absentees were Belardinelli and Ignacchiti. Dionisi named Degli Innocenti as the starter. The first half was a sluggish affair: the game was deadlocked, excitement was scarce, and neither side had a shot on target. The liveliest action came in the 29th minute, with Saporiti 's right-footed strike from 18 meters: the ball went just to the left of Pigliacelli .

In the 44th minute, an incident that could have changed the match occurred: Popov , already booked, made a careless mistake: he stamped on Brighenti, which resulted in a second yellow and subsequent sending off by referee Galipò. The start of a highly competitive second half (with numerous cards waved by the referee) led to another incident (which changed the outcome of the match). In the 10th minute, from a free kick by Saporiti in the three-quarter line, Iemmello elbowed the ball: the referee, having consulted VAR, awarded a penalty. Shpendi converted the penalty, wrong-footing the goalkeeper (keeper to the right, ball into the left corner): the striker's fifth goal.

In the 19th minute, a cross from the left by substitute Nuamah caused panic in the Empoli penalty area. In the 31st minute, Ilie came close to doubling the lead with a shot from the edge of the area (Pigliacelli made a clever save). In the 38th minute, Pellegri made a remarkable counterattack, doing everything himself and firing into the side-netting. The final minutes were tense, but Empoli finally got back to celebrating a victory.

EMPOLI (3-5-2): Fulignati; Curto, Guarino, Obaretin (1' st Lovato); Elia (41' st Carboni), Yepes, Degli Innocenti (41' st Haas), Saporiti (26' st Ilie), Moruzzi; Shpendi (26' st Pellegri), Popov. Subs: Perisan, Gasparini, Ceesay, Nasti, Idragoli, Konate, Bianchi. Coach: Dionisi. CATANZARO (3-5-2): Pigliacelli; Cassandro (10' st Bettella), Antonini, Brighenti (32' st Alesi); Favasuli, Rispoli, Buglio (32' st Liberali), Pontisso (15' st Pandolfi), Di Chiara (15' st Nuamah); Iemmello, Cissè. Subs: Marietta, Bashi, Pittarello, Petriccione, Oudin, Buso, D'Alessandro. Coach: Aquilani. REFEREE : Galipò from Florence. SCORER : 14' st Shpendi (pen.). NOTES : Serene day. Sent off: 44' 1st Popov for multiple yellow cards. Yellow cards: Obaretin, Bettella, Brighenti, Pigliacelli, Yepes, Fulignati, Alesi. Corners: 2-4. Added time: 4', 5'. Cassandro off due to injury. Gianluca Barni