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Serie A | Torino 1-0 Empoli: Duvan Zapata rises above

Originally posted on Football Italia  |  By Susy Campanale  |  Last updated 12/16/23

Duvan Zapata’s header proved enough for Torino to get the better of Empoli in a game where three goals were ruled offside.

The Granata were frustrated by a goalless draw away to Frosinone that left them on the outskirts of the fight for European places and still missed Perr Schuurs after knee surgery, but Karol Linetty returned from suspension. Empoli were eager to break out of the drop zone, but Tommaso Baldanzi, Ciccio Caputo, Bartosz Bereszynski, Viktor Kovalenko and Giuseppe Pezzella were not fully fit.

Antonio Sanabria scored one of the most beautiful goals in his entire career after 10 minutes with a stunning bicycle kick from 12 yards into the far top corner. However, it did not count because Nikola Vlasic was offside in the build-up.

Toro did take the lead when Raoul Bellanova got down the right and floated a ball to the back post for the towering Duvan Zapata header.

Defensive bodies in the six-yard box prevented Ivan Ilic and Sanabria from tapping in, but Empoli equalised on an equally chaotic situation.

A corner was not cleared, Sebastiano Luperto managed to flick it on and Tyronne Ebuehi on his birthday got his toes to the ball before Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. However, after a very long VAR review, it was ruled offside by a matter of millimetres.

Liberato Cacace also had the ball in the back of the net with a free header just before half-time, but this time his offside was considerably more obvious.

Linetty couldn’t keep the volley down after a smart Sanabria chip over the defence, but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had to time the interception absolutely perfectly when rushing off his line to fingertip the ball off to foot of Matteo Cancellieri clear on goal.

Torino 1-0 Empoli

Duvan Zapata 25 (T)

16-12-2023 19:45 MatchDay 16 Olympic Grande Torino Stadium

Torino
Empoli 1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half
Duván Zapata (Assist: Raoul Bellanova)

25'     Karol Linetty 45+4'     2nd half

Raoul Bellanova 71'    
Alessandro Buongiorno 80'    
    81' Liberato Cacace
Nikola Vlasic 85'    
    88'
Sebastiano Luperto

Match statistic

53 Possession % 47 10 Total shots 7 3 Shots on target 2 5 Shots off target 4 2 Blocked shots 1 6 Corners 4 2 Offsides 2 15 Fouls 10 Torino Empoli

Starting lineups

32
Vanja Milinković-Savić Goalkeeper 27
Mërgim Vojvoda Defender 65' 4
Alessandro Buongiorno Defender 19
Raoul Bellanova Defender 85' 13
Ricardo Rodríguez Defender 61
Adrien Tameze Midfielder 66' 8
Ivan Ilić Midfielder 77
Karol Linetty Midfielder 16
Nikola Vlasic Midfielder 9
Antonio Sanabria Attacker 91
Duván Zapata Attacker 90' 99
Etrit Berisha Goalkeeper 34
Ardian Ismajli Defender 13 Liberato Cacace Defender 33
Sebastiano Luperto Defender 24
Tyronne Ebuehi Defender 5
Alberto Grassi Midfielder 76' 21 Jacopo Fazzini Midfielder 18
Razvan Marin Midfielder 61' 29 Youssef Maleh Midfielder 76' 28
Nicolò Cambiaghi Attacker 85' 7 Stiven Shpendi Attacker

61'

Substitutes

28
Samuele Ricci Midfielder 1
Luca Gemello Goalkeeper 6
David Zima Defender 23 Demba Seck Attacker 7
Yann Karamoh Attacker 10
Nemanja Radonjic Attacker 66 Gvidas Gineitis Midfielder 15 Saba Sazonov Defender 71 Mihai Popa Goalkeeper 20
Valentino Lazaro Defender 65' 26
Koffi Djidji Defender 66' 93 Brandon Soppy Defender 85' 11
Pietro Pellegri Attacker 90' 27 Daniel Maldini Midfielder 4
Sebastian Walukiewicz Defender 30
Simone Bastoni Midfielder 1
Samuele Perisan Goalkeeper 25
Elia Caprile Goalkeeper 23
Mattia Destro Attacker 61' 20 Matteo Cancellieri Attacker 61' 35 Tommaso Baldanzi Midfielder 76' 22 Filippo Ranocchia Midfielder 76' 11
Emmanuel Gyasi Attacker

85'

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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