Empoli vs AC Milan, 2021-22 Italian Serie A
· Italian Serie AKessie strikes twice as AC Milan beat Empoli to take hold of second place
AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie played a starring role by scoring twice in a 4-2 win over Empoli on Wednesday to go second in Serie A.
Match Timeline
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 1': Foul by Nedim Bajrami (Empoli).
- 1': Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 1': Fabiano Parisi (Empoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 1': Foul by Junior Messias (AC Milan).
- 2': Attempt missed. Nedim Bajrami (Empoli) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Petar Stojanovic.
- 3': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Fikayo Tomori.
- 5': Foul by Szymon Zurkowski (Empoli).
- 5': Theo Hernández (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 8': Foul by Liam Henderson (Empoli).
- 8': Junior Messias (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 9': Attempt saved. Junior Messias (AC Milan) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
- 10': Attempt saved. Liam Henderson (Empoli) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andrea Pinamonti with a cross.
- 10': Attempt blocked. Junior Messias (AC Milan) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Franck Kessié.
- 10': Attempt saved. Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ismaël Bennacer.
- 11': Attempt missed. Franck Kessié (AC Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Alexis Saelemaekers.
- 12': Foul by Simone Romagnoli (Empoli).
- 12': Franck Kessié (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 12': Goal! Empoli 0, AC Milan 1. Franck Kessié (AC Milan) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Olivier Giroud.
- 15': Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 15': Foul by Nedim Bajrami (Empoli).
- 17': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Fikayo Tomori.
- 18': Goal! Empoli 1, AC Milan 1. Nedim Bajrami (Empoli) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner following a corner.
- 21': Corner, AC Milan. Conceded by Simone Romagnoli.
- 24': Attempt missed. Szymon Zurkowski (Empoli) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Nedim Bajrami.
- 27': Attempt missed. Junior Messias (AC Milan) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Franck Kessié.
- 28': Foul by Liam Henderson (Empoli).
- 28': Theo Hernández (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 29': Attempt missed. Theo Hernández (AC Milan) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
- 30': Foul by Olivier Giroud (AC Milan).
- 30': Samuele Ricci (Empoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 34': Corner, AC Milan. Conceded by Samuele Ricci.
- 35': Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 35': Foul by Liam Henderson (Empoli).
- 37': Attempt saved. Andrea Pinamonti (Empoli) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fabiano Parisi.
- 37': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Mike Maignan.
- 39': Foul by Sandro Tonali (AC Milan).
- 39': Patrick Cutrone (Empoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 39': Sandro Tonali (AC Milan) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 41': Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 41': Foul by Szymon Zurkowski (Empoli).
- 42': Goal! Empoli 1, AC Milan 2. Franck Kessié (AC Milan) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alexis Saelemaekers.
- 44': Attempt missed. Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Alexis Saelemaekers.
- 45': Attempt missed. Patrick Cutrone (Empoli) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Szymon Zurkowski.
- 45': Foul by Andrea Pinamonti (Empoli).
- 45': Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 45'+1': Attempt saved. Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Theo Hernández.
- 45'+1': Corner, AC Milan. Conceded by Guglielmo Vicario.
- 45'+2': Attempt saved. Olivier Giroud (AC Milan) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner.
- 45'+2': Attempt missed. Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right following a corner.
- 45'+2': First Half ends, Empoli 1, AC Milan 2.
- 45': Second Half begins Empoli 1, AC Milan 2.
- 45': Substitution, Empoli. Riccardo Marchizza replaces Petar Stojanovic.
- 47': Nedim Bajrami (Empoli) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
- 47': Attempt missed. Andrea Pinamonti (Empoli) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
- 48': Attempt missed. Nedim Bajrami (Empoli) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Fabiano Parisi with a cross.
- 49': Foul by Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan).
- 49': Szymon Zurkowski (Empoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 51': Attempt blocked. Patrick Cutrone (Empoli) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Szymon Zurkowski.
- 52': Foul by Riccardo Marchizza (Empoli).
- 52': Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 53': Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 53': Foul by Szymon Zurkowski (Empoli).
- 56': Foul by Sebastiano Luperto (Empoli).
- 56': Olivier Giroud (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 57': Attempt missed. Olivier Giroud (AC Milan) header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
- 57': Attempt blocked. Nedim Bajrami (Empoli) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Henderson.
- 60': Offside, Empoli. Sebastiano Luperto tries a through ball, but Patrick Cutrone is caught offside.
- 62': Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 62': Foul by Simone Romagnoli (Empoli).
- 62': Simone Romagnoli (Empoli) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 63': Goal! Empoli 1, AC Milan 3. Alessandro Florenzi (AC Milan) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
- 65': Substitution, AC Milan. Pierre Kalulu replaces Alessandro Florenzi.
- 65': Substitution, AC Milan. Tiemoué Bakayoko replaces Sandro Tonali.
- 67': Attempt saved. Szymon Zurkowski (Empoli) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
- 67': Offside, Empoli. Fabiano Parisi tries a through ball, but Nedim Bajrami is caught offside.
- 68': Substitution, Empoli. Andrea La Mantia replaces Patrick Cutrone.
- 68': Substitution, Empoli. Filippo Bandinelli replaces Szymon Zurkowski.
- 68': Foul by Franck Kessié (AC Milan).
- 68': Samuele Ricci (Empoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 68': Foul by Liam Henderson (Empoli).
- 68': Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 69': Goal! Empoli 1, AC Milan 4. Theo Hernández (AC Milan) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
- 71': Foul by Tiemoué Bakayoko (AC Milan).
- 71': Sebastiano Luperto (Empoli) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 74': Foul by Filippo Bandinelli (Empoli).
- 74': Tiemoué Bakayoko (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 75': Attempt missed. Liam Henderson (Empoli) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Andrea La Mantia.
- 75': Hand ball by Franck Kessié (AC Milan).
- 76': Filippo Bandinelli (Empoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 76': Foul by Tiemoué Bakayoko (AC Milan).
- 77': Attempt missed. Andrea La Mantia (Empoli) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Liam Henderson with a cross.
- 78': Attempt missed. Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Olivier Giroud.
- 80': Foul by Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan).
- 80': Nedim Bajrami (Empoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 80': Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 81': Substitution, AC Milan. Rade Krunic replaces Ismaël Bennacer.
- 81': Substitution, AC Milan. Brahim Díaz replaces Junior Messias.
- 81': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Pierre Kalulu.
- 82': Penalty conceded by Tiemoué Bakayoko (AC Milan) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
- 83': VAR Decision: Penalty Empoli.
- 84': Goal! Empoli 2, AC Milan 4. Andrea Pinamonti (Empoli) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
- 85': Substitution, Empoli. Leo Stulac replaces Samuele Ricci.
- 85': Substitution, Empoli. Kristjan Asllani replaces Liam Henderson.
- 88': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Pierre Kalulu.
- 90': Foul by Leo Stulac (Empoli).
- 90': Rade Krunic (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 90': Attempt blocked. Andrea Pinamonti (Empoli) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nedim Bajrami.
- 90': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Fikayo Tomori.
- 90'+2': Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Tiemoué Bakayoko.
- 90'+4': Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 90'+4': Foul by Fabiano Parisi (Empoli).
- 90'+5': Foul by Simone Romagnoli (Empoli).
- 90'+5': Olivier Giroud (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 90'+5': Attempt blocked. Rade Krunic (AC Milan) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Theo Hernández with a cross.
- 90'+5': Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box following a set piece situation.
- 90'+5': Second Half ends, Empoli 2, AC Milan 4.
- 0': Match ends, Empoli 2, AC Milan 4.
Statistics
 MIL |
EMP |
|
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Fouls | 18 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Offsides | 2 |
| 3 | Corner Kicks | 7 |
| 3 | Saves | 4 |
| 45.2 | Possession | 54.8 |
| 18 | SHOTS | 16 |
| 8 | ON GOAL | 5 |
| 0.4 | On Target % | 0.3 |
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 1 |
| 0 | Penalty Kicks Taken | 1 |
| 314 | Accurate Passes | 388 |
| 391 | Passes | 478 |
| 0.8 | Pass Completion % | 0.8 |
| 2 | Accurate Crosses | 4 |
| 19 | Crosses | 22 |
| 0.1 | Cross % | 0.2 |
| 53 | Long Balls | 43 |
| 25 | Accurate Long Balls | 26 |
| 0.5 | Long Balls % | 0.6 |
| 2 | Blocked Shots | 3 |
| 8 | Effective Tackles | 13 |
| 18 | Tackles | 17 |
| 0.4 | Tackle % | 0.8 |
| 8 | Interceptions | 9 |
| 23 | Effective Clearances | 12 |
| 23 | Clearances | 12 |
Game Information
Competition: Italian Serie A
Venue: Stadio Carlo Castellani – Computer Gross Arena
Location: Empoli, Italy
Attendance: 10,596
Venue: Stadio Carlo Castellani – Computer Gross Arena
Location: Empoli, Italy
Attendance: 10,596
Serie A Table
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napoli | 25 | +22 | 56 |
| 2 | Internazionale | 25 | +34 | 54 |
| 3 | Atalanta | 25 | +28 | 51 |
| 4 | Juventus | 25 | +21 | 46 |
Line-Ups
Empoli (4-3-1-2)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 13 | Guglielmo Vicario (GK) |
| 33 | Sebastiano Luperto |
| 6 | Simone Romagnoli  |
| 65 | Fabiano Parisi |
| 30 | Petar Stojanovic |
| 9 | Patrick Cutrone |
| 28 | Samuele Ricci |
| 10 | Nedim Bajrami |
| 8 | Liam Henderson |
| 27 | Szymon Zurkowski |
| 99 | Andrea Pinamonti |
AC Milan (4-2-3-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 16 | Mike Maignan (GK) |
| 13 | Alessio Romagnoli |
| 23 | Fikayo Tomori |
| 19 | Theo Hernández |
| 25 | Alessandro Florenzi |
| 79 | Franck Kessié |
| 4 | Ismaël Bennacer |
| 8 | Sandro Tonali |
| 9 | Olivier Giroud |
| 56 | Alexis Saelemaekers |
| 30 | Junior Messias |
Serie A News
Udinese players clash over penalty: Lucca scores, then subbed off
Udinese's 1-0 away win over Lecce on Friday was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Lorenzo Lucca's winning penalty, which angered his teammates and coach.
Walker out of Milan's trip to Torino, says boss Conceicao
AC Milan will be without injured right back Kyle Walker when they visit Torino in Serie A this weekend, head coach Sergio Conceicao said on Friday.
The race for five places in next season's Champions League
Who will be rewarded with extra places in next season's Champions League? This is how it works, and which leagues are leading the race.
Gomez: Pulisic having to deny a rift at AC Milan leaves me uneasy
Herculez Gomez reacts to Christian Pulisic and AC Milan having to publicly deny a rift.
Christian Pulisic, Youssouf Fofana not in spat with AC Milan boss
Rumors of a rift between AC Milan stars Christian Pulisic and Youssouf Fofana and their head coach Sérgio Conceição are not true, sources have told ESPN.