Serie A | Monza 2-0 Empoli: Colpani coup

Andrea Colpani bagged a brace to give Monza their first victory of the season, but Empoli fired blanks for the second game running.

Both teams started the season with a defeat, though the most damaging saw the Tuscans fall 1-0 at home to Verona. Daniel Maldini was still out injured and joined by goalkeeper Elia Caprile with a badly sprained ankle. The hosts welcomed Armando Izzo back from suspension.

Matteo Cancellieri drilled across the face of goal, while Samuele Birindelli and Gianluca Caprari aimed weak efforts straight at Samuele Perisan.

Roberto Gagliardini had a huge chance on 20 minutes when he unleashed a missile off the outside of the right boot from distance, but it thumped against the crossbar.

Monza were pouring forward, Sebastiano Luperto flinging himself in the path of Andrea Colpani’s finish after a Patrick Ciurria pull-back, then Ardian Ismajli deflected a Dany Mota Carvalho effort wide.

The hosts finally got their breakthrough on the stroke of half-time, as Colpani gathered from the edge of the area and let loose with a left-foot scorcher into the near top corner.

Empoli must’ve been given a fiery half-time talk, because in the opening three minutes they had three scoring opportunities, including a long-range Razvan Marin screamer that Michele Di Gregorio fingertipped onto the crossbar.

However, Monza doubled their lead when Ciurria stood up a cross from the left for the totally free Colpani header. Perisan got a hand to it, but not enough to steer it away.

Di Gregorio got down quickly to beat away the Nicolas Haas effort and Ciurria’s daisy-cutter skimmed the far post.

Ciurria rolled across for Samuele Vignato, who was inches away from connecting as he slid in, then Empoli almost got their first goal of the season with a Roberto Piccoli finish that shaved a coat of paint off the upright.

Monza saw Danilo D’Ambrosio stretchered off in stoppages after appearing to badly sprain his ankle.

Monza 2-0 Empoli

Colpani 45, 52 (M)