Empoli-Inter: 0-2 - Serie A 2021/2022. Final result and commentary from the game

Where the match is played:
Stadium: Carlo Castellani
City: Empoli
Capacity for: 19795 people20:16

Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this Serie A match between Empoli and Inter at Stadio Carlo Castellani.20:16

Empoli's return to Serie A is going swimmingly so far as they sit in the top half with 12 points, a figure they have reached only twice before at this stage of a season. However, Aurelio Andreazzoli's men will want to improve at home having lost four of their five home league games so far.20:21

Defending champions Inter arrive in town with some catching up to do in the wake of AC Milan and Napoli's strong starts to the season. Simone Inzaghi's third-placed Nerazzuri have failed to keep an away clean sheet so far this season, so a solid showing here would be a good place for them to start.20:26

EMPOLI (4-3-1-2): Guglielmo Vicario; Petar Stojanovic, Ardian Ismajli, Sebastiano Luperto, Fabiano Parisi; Nedim Bajrami, Samuele Ricci, Filippo Bandinelli; Szymon Zurkowski; Patrick Cutrone, Andrea Pinamonti.20:28

SUBS: Riccardo Fiamozzi, Tommaso Baldanzi, Mattia Viti, Lorenzo Tonelli, Leo Stulac, Kristjan Asllani, Liam Henderson, Andrea La Mantia, Leonardo Mancuso, Riccardo Marchizza, Samir Ujkani, Nicolas Haas.20:29

INTER (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Danilo D'Ambrosio, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Matteo Darmian, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Roberto Gagliardini, Federico Dimarco; Alexis Sanchez, Lautaro Martinez.20:30

SUBS: Andrea Ranocchia, Arturo Vidal, Denzel Dumfries, Hakan Calhanoglu, Edin Dzeko, Ivan Perisic, Stefano Sensi, Joaquin Correa, Matias Vecino, Milan Skriniar, Ionut Radu, Aleksandar Kolarov.20:31

Empoli make three changes from their 4-2 away victory against Salernitana last time out. Parisi, Bajrami and Zurkowski come in. There are four changes to Inter from their 1-1 draw with Juventus. D'Ambrosio, Dimarco, Gagliardini and Sanchez are trusted to start this time.20:37

Inter would be right to expect a win from this game: they've beaten Empoli in each of their last seven Serie A meetings and kept clean sheets in six of their last visits here. Empoli's last win against these opponents was in 2006 under Luigi Cagni. Can they pick up a shock victory?20:41

The two teams are out on the pitch now. Empoli will play in their usual all-blue. Inter are wearing their black away strip.20:49

Empoli get this game underway! 20:49

Empoli start the game on the front foot as Bastoni nips in to prevent Pinamonti from reaching a cross into the six-yard box. Bajrami's corner finds the head of Cutrone whose header is close but misses to the right.20:51

Dimarco gets a shot away in the penalty area which Empoli block.20:54

Inter win a series of free-kicks in Empoli's half, the last of which when Bandinelli takes out Martinez. Barella's ball in goes out for an Inter corner.20:56

Inter take the corner short. Dimarco swings a cross into the box and D'Ambrosio's header from a tight angle is an easy claim for Vicario.20:58

Inter are starting to get settled on the ball, although Empoli are doing their best to disrupt their flow. Barella fires over from the right of the box after reaching Dimarco's cross.20:59

Stojanovic's high ball in is cleared but Inter have nowhere to go. Ricci's speculative shot clatters against a defender and Handanovic keeps out Stojanovic's swerving effort from range. Empoli have a corner.21:02

Inter successfully defend the corner and try to counter but Empoli quickly cut the attack off. The hosts have held their own against the champions so far.21:02

Empoli are unhappy as they have a player down while Inter continue playing. Darmian gets the better of Parisi but can't find the right ball in and Vicario catches the follow-up cross.21:04

Pinamonti chases after a sliding throughball and tempts Bastoni into conceding a corner. Inter clear the first ball in but Bajrami finds Luperto unmarked near the six-yard box! The defender shoots and D'Ambrosio throws himself in the way, handing Empoli another corner.21:09

A Parisi handball eases the pressure on Inter. Empoli are rattling their visitors at the moment.21:08

Inter get a free-kick some way out from goal. They take it short to tee up Dimarco whose fizzing effort is tipped over the bar by Vicario. Empoli survive the resulting corner as Martinez fires over from range.21:14

De Vrij receives the game's first yellow card for handling the ball. Empoli will get the chance to test Inter from another free-kick.21:12

Bajrami plops his free-kick towards the far post but there's too much pace on the ball for anyone to reach it. Inter get the goal-kick.21:12

Gagliardini earns Inter a throw-in down their left. Dimarco blasts a cross against Zurkowski and is disappointed not to get a corner.21:16

The Empoli fans are in fine voice at Stadio Carlo Castellani. They share their disapproval as Luperto is booked for tugging Sanchez when the Chilean beats him for pace.21:16

Inter's set-piece causes Empoli no concern. This has been a fairly even opening half-hour.21:17

Inter hand Empoli possession in their own half and Bajrami takes a tumble in the box. Inter play on and the hosts give the referee a piece of their mind when Darmian gives away a foul up the other end. It isn't a penalty.21:21

Sanchez has won four fouls in this game so far. He's been giving Empoli's defenders all sorts of trouble with his direct running.21:25

Vicario catches the ball as Gagliardini goes for a header from inside the box. Inter are starting to get some joy from their aerial approach.21:27

Inter are beginning to hog more and more of the ball. Empoli are having to resort to fouling the champions to get near it as Bajrami trips Brozovic.21:29

Bastoni ventures forward to get Inter moving through the middle. Sanchez stops still with the ball for a second to assess his options but can't find Dimarco with a crossfield pass.21:30

Sanchez hits the post! The striker manages to craft a shot which rebounds off the right-hand upright Barella arrives to follow up, forcing Vicario to dive across to save with his legs. The offside flag goes up anyway. 21:33

Sanchez darts in behind Empoli's defence and draws Vicario off his line but he trips as the keeper blocks his shot. The Chilean manages to stay on his feet and cross from the byline for Martinez who can't connect with it. There'll be one additional minute in this half.21:36

Martinez gets his head on the end of Dimarco's cross to nod straight at Vicario. That marks the end of a good half for Inter.21:36

HALF-TIME: EMPOLI 0-1 INTER21:36

Inter go in at the break one goal to the good. Empoli have caused their visitors the odd problem, but the champions grew as the half went on and have the lead through D'Ambrosio's header. Sanchez has been particularly bright for Inter.21:39

Empoli have tried their best to limit Inter's chances so far but haven't been successful. Inter had six of their eight shots in the first half inside the box. Andreazzoli's men will need to focus on scoring now but also have to be careful not to get sucker-punched. Another Inter goal will probably be fatal.21:44

The teams are back out for the second half. Inter get the game going again.21:49

From kick-off Darmian one-twos his way to the byline. Inter's right wing-back can't create a crossing opportunity though.21:50

Inter break forward on the counter-attack and Darmian can't find the right pass. The visitors keep the ball moving and Vicario drops down low to catch Sanchez's header as Darmian flings another cross in.21:52

Inter are looking comfortable as they quell another Empoli attack. Bajrami's poor challenge gives the champions a free-kick on the left wing.21:54

Inter squander the free-kick and Empoli counter, winning a throw-in. The hosts keep pushing and eventually earn a corner.21:55

RED CARD FOR RICCI! Inter see the corner out and immediately burst forward. Ricci slides in high on Bastoni and leaves the defender crumpled in a heap. The referee shows no hesitation in dismissing him as Martinez expresses his condolences.22:01

Bastoni eventually gets to his feet although he's still in discomfort with his right shoulder. Ricci's tackle was a dangerous one. He gave the referee no option there. Empoli's task has just become that much harder.21:58

Sanchez has the ball in the net from lurking in the box as Vicario saved Darmian's left-footed strike. His celebrations are short-lived as the offside flag goes up.22:01

Empoli make a substitution. The Swiss midfielder Haas replaces Bajrami. 22:01

Inter hit the woodwork again! This time it's Gagliardini who has a header cannon off the left-hand post as he gets on the end of another great Darmian delivery.22:03

Brozovic lands his name in the book for tripping Bandinelli on a foray forward. The Empoli man goes down inside the box but the contact was just outside it so it's only a free-kick. Brozovic is a lucky man.22:05

Pinamonti goes for precision with his free-kick, lofting it gently towards goal. It drops harmlessly over Handanovic's crossbar.22:07

Vicario claws Martinez's header off the line to prevent Inter from doubling their lead! Again Inter create a chance in the air. Empoli recover well enough to stop the Argentine from tapping in, giving Inter a corner which they successfully defend.22:10

Vicario's called into action once more as the keeper saves Gagliardini's blast from over 35 yards out. The corner comes out to Brozovic whose effort fizzes wide of the post.22:10

Martinez showed great skill to create that chance and Dimarco was unerring in putting it away. Empoli's poor home run is set to continue.22:13

Empoli make a few changes, surely knowing that the jig is up. Mancuso replaces the ineffectual Cutrone first.22:13

Bandinelli is next to go off. The Scotsman Henderson replaces him.22:14

Zurkowski is the last Empoli player to be replaced. Asllani is his replacement.22:14

Inter are slowing the pace of the game now. It'd be a huge surprise if Empoli can salvage anything from this position.22:15

Inter make two changes. Sanchez gets an early rest after a good game. The Lazio loanee Correa takes his place up front.22:16

Brozovic also heads off. On comes Vecino.22:16

Vecino cannons a cross against Luperto to hand Inter a corner. Dimarco will take it.22:17

Dimarco swings the corner in and finds Gagliardini who shoulders the ball into the net. The midfielder sheepishly celebrates, knowing full well VAR will rule the goal out. So it proves.22:19

Gagliardini is booked for his intentional handball. He has no complaints.22:22

There's still life in Empoli but it's surely too late. Mancuso shoots from the centre of the box and forces a decent save from Handanovic.22:24

Empoli get a free-kick down their left. Henderson floats it into the box but Ismajli's header bounces wide for an Inter goal-kick.22:25

Inter make a change at the back. De Vrij goes off. Kolarov comes on.22:25

Barella fires high and wide from outside the box. Inter look confident of having got the job done.22:27

Empoli substitution. Fiamozzi gets a late runout. Stojanovic makes way.22:26

Dimarco almost gets his second goal of the game, snatching wide from the edge of the box after Martinez has his shot blocked. Inter's left wing-back has been very good here.22:29

Martinez's blocked shot is his last act of the game. Dzeko takes his place up front.22:30

Gagliardini heads off too. Sensi gets to come on for the last few minutes of this match.22:30

Empoli could have downed tools after going 2-0 down but to their credit they haven't given up. Parisi has a try at goal and is off-target before racing back to deflect a Darmian cross out for a corner.22:33

Inter are knocking the ball around with a care in the world. This has been a straightforward victory for them in the end.22:33

There'll be four more minutes of this. At least the home fans are still enjoying themselves.22:34

Correa's attempt on goal takes a deflection and Vicario beats his own man Parisi to the ball to tip it aside for a corner. Empoli's goalkeeper has been solid between the sticks and couldn't do anything about Inter's two goals.22:37

Vecino heads wide from Sensi's cross. Sensi looks to recover the ball but he's offside. Inter embark on one last attack but there's no more time. That's it!22:40

FULL-TIME: EMPOLI 0-2 INTER22:40

Inter leave Empoli with the three points and their first away clean sheet in Serie A this season. Inzaghi's men withstood early pressure from the hosts and grabbed a first-half lead through D'Ambrosio. Ricci's red card early in the second half tipped the game decisively in Inter's favour and Dimarco finished Empoli off.22:43

Inter stay third in Serie A with the win. They're already seven points behind league leaders Milan so they couldn't afford to slip up here and didn't. Empoli drop to 12th. They've lost five of their first six home Serie A matches in a season for the first time, conceding at least twice in all six. They've got to sort their home form out.22:50

Inter stay in touch with Milan and Napoli at the top of Serie A then. All they can do for now is keep winning. If they do the gap between them and the top two will narrow eventually. That's all for now. Goodbye!22:49