Verona held on under pressure for much of the game and proved clinical with Federico Bonazzoli to snatch a valuable three points away to Empoli.
Hellas narrowly avoided the drop by beating Spezia in the relegation play-off and went into this game without suspended Marco Davide Faraoni and Isak Hien, plus injured Darko Lazovic, Thomas Henry and Ajdin Hrustic, so threw new buy Michael Folorunsho straight into the starting XI. The hosts missed Daniel Maldini and Jacopo Fazzini.
Empoli almost took an early lead with a Razvan Marin scorcher that Lorenzo Montipò fingertipped onto the crossbar, then the goalkeeper had his gloves stung by Ciccio Caputo.
Emmanuel Gyasi really should’ve scored when set up by Tommaso Baldanzi, but ballooned his finish over the crossbar.
Marin curled a free kick just wide and Josh Doig couldn’t keep his volley under control at the back post, but it was Verona who took the lead somewhat against the run of play.
Elia Caprile flapped at the Ondrej Duda corner kick and substitute Federico Bonazzoli was the most reactive to turn in from six yards at the back post.
Moments later, Milan Djuric had the ball in the net again for Verona, but was clearly in an offside position.
Montipò had to sprint back and make a crucial save when Shpendi tried to make the most of an error with a lob from midfield that was going to be on target, then smothered the Tommaso Baldanzi angled drive.
Riccardo Saponara curled just wide on his Hellas debut late on and Caprile kept the scoreline down on a Bonazzoli half-volley.
Empoli 0-1 Verona
Bonazzoli 75 (V)