Gabriel Strefezza replied to a deflected Fabiano Parisi strike, as Lecce picked up their first point of the season against Empoli.
The Salentini were boosted this week by the arrival of Samuel Umtiti on loan from Barcelona and Martin Pongracic from Wolfsburg, with both on the bench, but there was still a shortage in defence with Kastriot Dermaku and Mert Cetin not fully fit. Empoli missed Lorenzo Tonelli and Nicolò Cambiaghi, with Sebastiano Luperto suspended.
Tommaso Baldanzi had the ball in the net after four minutes, but the referee had already stopped play for a push.
Gabriel Strefezza tested Guglielmo Vicario at the near post, but Empoli took the lead with a big stroke of luck, as Fabiano Parisi won the ball back in his own half and surged forward, his low drive took a huge deflection off Federico Baschirotto to loop up over helpless Wladimiro Falcone.
Lameck Banda burst down the left flank and pulled back with nobody able to get the tap-in and Petar Stojanovic tested Falcone from a massive distance.
Lecce did equalise when Banda made another strong run down the left, rolling across for Gabriel Strefezza to take a touch and smash into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Falcone used his legs to parry a Baldanzi effort at the near post, then Vicario made a desperate save as Banda cut inside and unleashed a right-foot scorcher.
Assan Ceesay had the ball in the net with a smart lobbed header over the goalkeeper, but the Lecce man was offside.
Lecce 1-1 Empoli
Parisi 22 (E), Strefezza 40 (L)