Empoli try to carve out the perfect opening, but the Inter defence hold firm and win a free-kick for a foul by Traore on Vrsaljko. That should be the end of the game.
90' +1
Time is running out for Empoli, but they're reluctant to send the ball into the box with a long ball.
90'
There will be three minutes of added time.
89'
Inter are trying to run out the clock and are doing a solid job of keeping possession in the Empoli half.
87'
WIDE! Zajc creates space in the final third with a weaving run and he strikes at goal on his left foot. It takes a deflection off De Vrij and trickles past the post. Agony for the home side.
From the resulting corner, Mchedlidze connects with a header from Zajc's cross, but he can only direct his effort over the bar.
84'
D. D'Ambrosio enters the game and replaces K. Baldé.
Keita is withdrawn for D'Ambrosio for the closing minutes.
83'
Empoli open up Inter down the left and Caputo cuts the ball back into the middle. The ball is asking to be fired at goal, but no one in a blue shirt can connect. Acquah fouls Keita in his desperation to strike at goal.
78'
Caputo has a run at the Inter defence down the left inside channel and he tries to force the ball across the face of goal, but the visitors are there in numbers to repel the threat.
76'
Inter slowly took command of the second half and although they've not been great, they've done enough to take the lead. Empoli need to respond now.
Minute
Description
74'
L. Mchedlidze enters the game and replaces L. Antonelli.
I. Bennacer gets yellow.
Bennacer brings down Martinez and goes into the book.
Mchedlidze replaces Anontelli, who only came on to the field in the first half in relief of Pasqual.
72'
K. Baldé has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by Š. Vrsaljko.
Vrsaljko collects Politano's short pass before scooping a cross into the box for Keita to latch on to and score.
GOALLLLLLLLL!!! KEITA PUTS INTER AHEAD!!! 1-0!!!! The visitors have broken the deadlock with a scrappy goal from Keita. Politano worked the ball short from a corner and Vrsaljko whipped the ball into the box. Keita connected with a scuffed effort that span away from Provedel, striking the inside of the post before nestling into the back of the net. Not a classic, but it's over the line and it counts. That's all that matters for Spalletti's men.
69'
Acquah connects with an effort from the edge of the box, only to see his strike trickle harmlessly past the post.
68'
L. Martínez gets yellow.
Inter build down the left and Keita tries to pick out Martinez in the middle. The striker should meet the ball with a diving header, but he goes with his hands outstretched. The ball strikes his hands and the Argentine is booked for deliberate handball.
67'
L. Martínez enters the game and replaces Borja Valero.
Martinez replaces Valero for the visitors.
66'
Zajc lines up an effort from distance on the half-volley. He connects with his strike and it sails towards the target, but Handanovic is there to make the stop.
65'
BLOCK! Zajc takes the free-kick and tries to curl his effort over the wall, but the line of Inter players holds firm and makes the block courtesy of a well-timed jump.
64'
Skriniar brings down Zajc on the charge and hands the home side a free-kick in a decent position.
62'
Empoli operate on the counter and Zajc is played into space on the right flank. He looks for Caputo in the middle, but his cross is poor and gathered with ease by Handanovic.
60'
CHALLENGE! Asamoah feeds the run of Keita in the box and the winger almost has a shooting opportunity from close range. However, Silvestre comes in with an inch-perfect tackle to send the ball out for a corner. A vital intervention.
58'
BLOCK! Keita turns into space on the edge of the box and he goes for the strike with his right foot, but he drills his effort into a wall of blue shirts.
57'
R. Nainggolan enters the game and replaces M. Vecino.
Spalletti turns to Nainggolan for inspiration after he was recalled to the squad for today's contest. The Belgian replaces Vecino.
56'
Caputo attempts an ambitious strike from distance after breaking alone on the counter. He tries to chip Handanovic from 30 yards, but the keeper makes a comfortable claim.
55'
Politano wastes another crossing opportunity for the visitors, curling a simple cross straight at Provedel.
54'
Inter are still searching for ideas in the final third. They're having success in the wide areas, although the quality into the box has been poor from the wingers and full-backs.
52'
Vrsaljko goes on the charge down the right flank, but he can only float his delivery straight at Provedel.
50'
Valero takes the free-kick, but he curls his delivery straight into the hands of Provedel.
49'
Keita gets the better of Untersee down the flank and wins a free-kick for the visitors. There's no booking for the Empoli full-back.
46'
We're back underway in this Serie A contest.
45' +3
HALF-TIME: EMPOLI 0-0 INTER
45' +2
Inter make a burst through Politano to break into the final third, but he cannot complete the offload towards Keita. The home side are able to scramble the ball away before further reinforcements can arrive.
45'
There will be three minutes of added time.
44'
The visitors are moving the ball well enough in the Empoli half until they reach the final third. There the home side are making life extremely difficult for Inter to move in tight quarters.
42'
Inter apply pressure, but cannot find a way through to goal as Politano sees his strike blocked behind by Acquah.
40'
The rhythm of Empoli's play has been affected by losing La Gumina and now they've lost Pasqual, who has been a threat down the left flank.
38'
L. Antonelli enters the game and replaces M. Pasqual.
Another injury blow for the home side as Pasqual is forced off and is replaced by Antonelli.
Skriniar floats a ball over the top of the Empoli line, but Keita moves a fraction too early and is caught offside. Provedel was out to head the ball clear anyway, but the Inter attack was over from the start.
36'
BLOCK! Joao Mario charges towards the edge of the box before seeing his effort blocked. Vecino keeps the attack alive with a lofted pass for Keita. The winger collects but from a tight angle, he cannot shoot. He forces the ball back across towards Icardi, although the striker cannot reach it first time and the opportunity is gone as the Empoli defence flood back in numbers.
35'
Inter are starting to move the ball around the pitch with intent and the home side are having to defend deep on the edge of their own box.
34'
Politano lifts the resulting free-kick into the box, but Vecino fails to time his run and is caught offside.
33'
Untersee takes one for the team for the home side, bringing down Asamoah on the charge.
32'
Keita takes a step to run at the Empoli defence on the inside rather than down the left flank. However, before he can threaten, he runs into a wall of defenders on the edge of the box and is crowded out.
31'
Keita puts the pressure on down the left and whips an early cross into the middle. Rasmussen takes action, clearing behind for a corner with Icardi lurking.
30'
SAVE! Inter respond to the threat with an opening of their own. Politano cuts in from the right flank and hammers an effort at goal on his left foot. Provedel watches it all the way and makes a solid stop, pushing the ball away from his goalmouth.
28'
Pressure from the home side wins a corner as Zajc blasts the ball off the legs of Skriniar.
27'
There has not been a clear-cut opportunity for either side as of yet. There has not been a great deal of quality in the final third.
25'
Traore collects in space down the left flank and he tries to force the ball into the feet of Zajc, but the pressure from De Vrij prevents the forward from getting an effort away in the box.
24'
M. Zajc enters the game and replaces A. La Gumina.
La Gumina makes way for Zajc for the home side.
21'
Keita drops his shoulder down the left flank and he drills a left-footed shot across the face of goal, only to see no one connect with his delivery in the middle.
20'
Icardi tries to break behind the Empoli defence to latch on to a long ball from Skriniar. The ball bounces harmlessly into the hands of Provedel, with the Argentine stopping in his tracks before reaching the edge of the box.
19'
Vrsaljko bends a cross to the back post for the run of the Keita, but the ball skips off the surface away from the winger and out for a goal-kick.
17'
Untersee battles well for the home side down the flank, keeping Keita at bay and winning a free-kick in the process.
15'
Space opens up for Traore to run at the Inter defence and he goes for the curler towards the top corner, only to bend his effort harmlessly over the bar.
14'
Acquah combines with Bennacer to release Pasqual down the left flank, but Vrsaljko gets across well to divert his attempted cross into the middle behind for a corner.
12'
The visitors try to play their way through the Empoli defence, but Joao Mario loses possession with a poor offload towards the feet of Icardi.
10'
Inter are able to clear the resulting free-kick into the box from Pasqual before bringing the ball to safety.
6'
Empoli build down the left flank and Pasqual curls a delivery into the box. Acquah latches on to the cross, but he fails to drive his effort through a wall of white shirts in the Inter backline.
4'
Politano looks for space on the right flank, but he gets crowded out before he can send in a cross towards Icardi.
2'
Keita gets the better of Untersee down the left flank and he whips a cross into the box, but no Inter player is there to connect with the delivery.
1'
We're underway in this Serie A clash.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Serie A clash between Empoli and Inter at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.
EMPOLI (5-3-2): Ivan Provedel; Joel Untersee, Frederic Veseli, Matias Silvestre, Jacob Rasmussen, Manuel Pasqual; Afriyie Acquah, Ismael Bennacer, Hamed Traore; Antonio La Gumina, Francesco Caputo.
SUBS: Matteo Brighi, Miha Zajc, Levan Mchedlidze, Alejandro Rodriguez, Luca Antonelli, Arnel Jakupovic, Pietro Terracciano, Leonardo Capezzi, Michal Marcjanik, Salih Ucan, Samuel Mraz, Andrea Fulignati.
INTER (4-3-3): Samir Handanovic; Sime Vrsaljko, Stefan de Vrij, Milan Skriniar, Kwadwo Asamoah; Matias Vecino, Borja Valero, Joao Mario; Keita Balde, Mauro Icardi, Ivan Perisic.
SUBS: Roberto Gagliardini, Lautaro Martinez, Andrea Ranocchia, Radja Nainggolan, Matteo Politano, Joao Miranda, Daniele Padelli, Dalbert, Danilo D'Ambrosio, Antonio Candreva.
Empoli have made five changes to their side that was beaten by Torino last time out. Rade Krunic and Giovanni Di Lorenzo are both suspended, with the former receiving a late sending off in the defeat during the week. Domenico Maietta misses out due to injury, while Anontelli and Mraz drop to the bench. Untesee, Pasqual, Acquah, Rasmussen and La Gumina get the call to come into the side.
Empoli are hovering dangerously above the relegation zone after suffering a run of three straight defeats. They were soundly beaten by Fiorentina before being on the receiving end of a late Gianluca Caprari brace against Sampdoria to lose 4-2, while Giuseppe Iachini's men were carved apart with ease by Torino during the week, losing the contest 3-0. They are three points above the bottom three and need a positive result to stop their slide.
Lautaro Martinez's late winner against Napoli during the week handed Inter a vital win in their bid to secure a Champions League place for next season. It was a controversial contest, with racism again blighting Italian football after Inter fans directed monkey chants in the direction of visiting defender Kalidou Koulibaly. As a result, the Nerazzurri will have to play the next two matches behind closed doors. Their results on the pitch have been inconsistent to say the least, beating Udinese, while suffering a draw after conceding a late goal to Chievo and Sergio Pellissier late time out on the road.
The home side will be satisfied with their performance thus far as they look to end a run of three-straight defeats. They've been solid at the back, getting numbers behind the ball to quell Inter in the final third. Luciano Spalletti's men have been frustrated in and around the box, although Mauro Icardi has been very quiet this afternoon. That cannot continue if the visitors are to claim all three points.
It's goalless at the break between Empoli and Inter in their Serie A clash. It has been a half of few chances for both teams, with each side having one close effort on goal. The home side saw a header from Miha Zajc sail narrowly over the bar from a corner, while Matteo Politano was denied by a decent save from Ivan Provedel with a strike from distance. It has not been a classic display of attacking football thus far.
The winter break in Serie A starts now and both teams have a couple of weeks to rest up. Empoli are next in action on the road against Cagliari on January 20, while Inter's next match comes earlier in the Coppa Italia in a home game against Benevento.
Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.
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