Coppa Italia
Pisa and Empoli faced off at the Stadio Arena Garibaldi in the Coppa Italia first round match, with the game ending 1-1 after 90 minutes. Pisa progressed to the next round, securing a 4-3 advantage in the penalty shootout.
Key moments in the match
The home side took the lead late in the first half, in the 44th minute. Tommaso Marras, assisted by Mehdi Léris, put Pisa ahead 1-0. Empoli, who came into the game in the second half, equalized in the 61st minute with a goal from Edoardo Saporiti, and the match finished at that scoreline after 90 minutes. On Empoli's side, Edoardo Biondini (22'), Gerard Yepes (45'), and Gabriele Indragoli (70') received yellow cards; Pisa had no cards.
With no goals in extra time, the match was decided on penalties. Luca Magnino from Empoli was the first to miss in the sequence, with Marras and Shpendi responding with goals. After the series reached 3-3 with alternating goals, Felipe Loyola put Pisa ahead 4-3, and when Edoardo Saporiti's shot went wide in Empoli's final attempt, Pisa secured progression to the next round.
Statistics and possession analysis
Pisa dominated possession with a 59-41 advantage and maintained superiority in passing accuracy as well; 466 passes to 314, with an 85% pass completion rate compared to Empoli's 70%, keeping control of the game. Pisa also led in total shots: 13 to 8, and in shots on target: 5 to 3. However, the xG data painted a different picture; Empoli generated 1.34 xG while Pisa's expected goals value stood at 0.60, indicating that the visiting side created higher-quality chances. In terms of pressure index, Pisa clearly led with 73%, and the home side's peak pressure moment came in the 91st minute; Empoli's most effective period came early, in the 17th minute.
Standout performers
For Pisa, Tommaso Marras, with his goal during regular time, was the team's highest-rated player with a 7.50 rating. Antonio Caracciolo (7.01) and Matteo Tramoni (7.27) were also among the standout performers. For Empoli, Edoardo Saporiti, who scored the equalizer, was the pitch's best player with a 7.77 rating; Jacopo Seghetti (6.79) and Salvatore Monaco (6.88) also put in noteworthy performances.
Tournament impact
The result reflects both teams' cup history; Empoli has lost all of their last 3 Coppa Italia matches, while Pisa entered the game on a run where they'd lost 6 of their last 7 matches. While no breakthrough came in regular time this occasion, Pisa converted their home advantage into a ticket to the next round on penalties and earned the right to continue their journey in the Coppa Italia. Empoli, despite their impressive xG output, were eliminated and bowed out of the tournament.