Empoli 0 - 2 Inter: Empoli downed by dominant Inter

Simone Inzaghi may have had to sit in the stands, but the Inter Milan manager was still able to watch his team sweep Empoli aside 2-0, extending their unbeaten run to 13 matches against the ‘Gli Azzurri’.

Without a defeat against Empoli since 2006, Inter have not been welcomed visitors to the Stadio Carlo Castellani in recent years, yet it was the hosts who looked the most dangerous early on. Samir Handanović was called into action to deny Samuele Ricci’s speculative effort, before a desperate Danilo D'Ambrosio block prevented Sebastiano Luperto firing home from six yards out.

D'Ambrosio’s defensive efforts would be rewarded with a goal moments later, as his glancing header squeezed its way beyond a flailing Guglielmo Vicario in the Empoli goal. An unlikely attacking source, the veteran defender found himself on the scoresheet for the first time since December 2020, giving the visitors a slender advantage at the break.

In his first season playing in Serie A, Ricci came within inches of giving his side the lead in the first period, but was shown a red card in the second. Coming in high and late on Nicolò Barella, referee Daniele Chiffi wasted no time in dismissing the 20-year-old - a decision the VAR quickly agreed on.

With the man advantage, Inter began to probe and pepper the Empoli goal, but were denied on several occasions by the ever-present Vicario. First, Roberto Gagliardini headed an effort against the post, before having a shot palmed away by the 27-year-old shot-stopper shortly after. Lautaro Martínez was the next Inter player to come close, but his effort was also saved by the ‘Gli Azzurri’ goalkeeper.

Ultimately, the pressure of the away side proved inevitable, as Federico Dimarco tapped home a Martínez back-post cross to seal an eighth consecutive ‘Nerazzurri’ win over Empoli. With that clean sheet, Inter have equalled the record for the most consecutive away clean sheets versus any opponent, now boasting seven shutouts in a row against Empoli.