Empoli secured a stunning upset with a dramatic 1-0 victory against Serie A defending champions Napoli on Sunday, as Viktor Kovalenko delivered an injury-time stunner to seal the win for the struggling Tuscan side.
Rudi Garcia’s tactical shift for Napoli, opting for a 4-2-3-1 system and omitting star attackers Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Piotr Zielinski, and Natan, proved unsuccessful. The Partenopei faced further challenges as goalkeeper Alex Meret suffered a calf injury in the warm-up.
Empoli, dealing with their own injury woes without key players Tommaso Baldanzi, Sebastian Walukiewicz, and Giuseppe Pezzella, held their ground against Napoli in a tense first half. Goalkeepers Etrit Berisha and Pierluigi Gollini made crucial saves at both ends.
Garcia reverted to Napoli’s typical 4-3-3 formation in the second half, introducing Kvaratskhelia and Zielinski. Although the Georgian attacker showed promise, the breakthrough remained elusive.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, Napoli appeared poised for victory when Kvaratskhelia’s close-range effort was thwarted by Berisha. However, in the 95th minute, Kovalenko unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from a challenging angle, finding the top corner and triggering jubilant celebrations for Empoli.
This unexpected outcome temporarily places Napoli in fourth position with 21 points, with Atalanta in fifth yet to play. Empoli, with just their second league win of the season, climbed out of the relegation zone.
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