September 25, 2016: Lazio-Empoli 2-0
- Dag Jenkins
- Sep 25
- 8 min read
Keita and Lulic are enough
Lazio struggle especially in the second half but manage to clinch win
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 8th. The Biancocelesti had played 31 league games under Stefano Pioli and then the last 7 with Simone Inzaghi. They had reached the last 16 of Europa League (after failing to get through the CL preliminary round against Bayer Leverkusen) and the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia.
This year Marcelo Bielsa had been chosen but "El Loco" lived up to his name and resigned after only a few days due to divergences over transfer market issues. At this point Simone Inzaghi was called back.
The main new signings were goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha (Salernitana- end of loan), defenders Bastos (Rostov), Jordan Lukaku (Oostende), Wallace (Braga), midfielder Luís Alberto (Liverpool) and striker Ciro Immobile (Seville).
Leaving were goalkeeper Etrit Berisha (Atalanta - on loan), defenders Edson Braafheid (end of contract), Santiago Gentiletti (Genoa), Abdoulay Konko (end of contract), Mauricio (Spartak Moscow - on loan), midfielders Antonio Candreva (Inter), Ogenyi "Eddy" Onazi (Trabzonspor), Stefano Mauri (end of contract) and striker Miroslav Klose (retired). So, a few difficult players to replace.
In Serie A Lazio had so far played 5 games with 2 wins (Atalanta 4-3 away on debut and Pescara 3-0 at home), a draw (Chievo 1-1 away) and 2 defeats (Juventus 0-1 at home and most recently Milan 0-2 away). Lazio were currently 11th on 7 points (with Fiorentina and Udinese). An inconsistent start although the defeats had come against two of the "Big Three".
The previous season Empoli had finished 10th under Marco Giampaolo. The Empolesi had won 12 (including Lazio 1-0 and Fiorentina 2-0 at home), drawn 10 and lost 16 (including Lazio 0-2 in Rome). Top scorer was Massimo "Big Mac" Maccarone with 13 league goals.
This season the manager was Giovanni Martusciello. The main new signings were: goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski (Roma - on loan), defenders Federico Barba (Stuttgart - back from loan), Giuseppe Bellusci (Leeds United - on loan), Federico Dimarco (Inter - on loan via Ascoli), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), midfielders José Mauri (Milan - on loan), Andrés Tello (Juventus - on loan via Cagliari) plus forwards Alberto Gilardino (Palermo) and Guido Marilungo (Atalanta - on loan via Virtus Lanciano).
Leaving Tuscany were: defenders Luca Bittante (Cagliari - on loan), Mario Rui (Roma), midfielders Leandro Paredes (Roma - end of loan), Piotr Zieliński (Napoli) plus forward Marko Livaja (Las Palmas) and Alessandro Piu (Spezia - on loan).
So far, the Azzurri had won 1 (Crotone 2-1 at home), drawn 1 (Torino 0-0 away) and lost 3 (Sampdoria 0-1 at home on debut, 0-2 away to Udinese and most recently 0-2 at home to Inter). They were struggling on 4 points (with Cagliari), in 18th position.
Empoli had already started their Coppa Italia campaign, defeating Vicenza 2-0 at home. Next up were Cesena at home but not until the end of November.
Lazio were expected to win today against lowly opposition.
The match: Sunday, September 25, 2016, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A classic Sunday 3pm kick-off still did not pull in the crowds, only just over 10,000 spectators. The anti-Lotito sentiment veered many fans towards possibly a last summery Sunday at the sea.
Lazio had the whole squad available apart from defender Bastos and keeper Federico Marchetti while Empoli were missing defenders Andrea Costa and Vincent Laurini.
Lazio played in their classic light blue strips while Empoli were hard to recognize in a bright orangey-red outfit.
The first shot was by Keita Balde but his left foot flew a couple of metres wide.
The game did not start well for the Biancocelesti as after only nine minutes Lucas Biglia, who was making his return, suffered another muscular problem and was forced off, replaced by Danilo Cataldi.
Empoli had their first chance in the 13th minute but Manuel Pucciarelli's low strike was saved and blocked by Thomas Strakosha.
Without their Argentine playmaker Lazio nevertheless played well in the first half. Ciro Immobile teed up by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic had a brilliant left footed volley tipped over the bar by Skorupski and in the 29th minute they scored. Felipe Anderson went down the right and crossed, the ball was headed clear but only as far as Keita who drilled it to Skorupski's left, 1-0.
In the 33rd minute the visitors too lost a player through injury as Federico Barba went off and was replaced by Uroš Ćosiç.
Empoli however had not come to Rome on a field trip and almost equalised with a close-range Alberto Gilardino header, from a Pucciarelli cross from the left, but it was central and Strakosha instinctively parried. Halftime: 1-0.
Empoli went extremely close to grabbing an equaliser soon after the break when, following a Daniele Croce cross from the left to the far post, Pucciarelli hit the crossbar with a close-range strike.
Keita was still the most dangerous for Lazio and he had a curling effort that went just over the bar.
Both sides started making substitutions, for Empoli in the 59th minute forward Guido Marilungo replaced midfielder Andrés Tello and for Lazio Jordan Lukaku came on for goal scorer Keita. A strange decision by Simone Inzaghi.
The Belgian defender caused some problems immediately but to his own team. He hesitated and then messed up a back pass to Stefan Radu which Empoli took advantage of as Marilungo went down the right and crossed into the middle where José Mauri volleyed acrobatically but Strakosha was well positioned and parried low.
Wallace then blocked another dangerous Pucciarelli effort.
In the 77th minute Empoli tried changing strikers and took off Gilardino for Levan Mchedlidze.
Lazio then had a huge chance but it fell to the wrong player. Milinkovic-Savic from the right by-line pushed a ball back towards the penalty spot where Wallace managed to slice it and blast it over the bar, it was a penalty kick in movement.
In the 84th minute Lazio replaced Felipe Anderson with fresh legs and brought on young Cristiano Lombardi. Anderson had basically played at full back in the second half and was exhausted.
The game was on edge until the end as Empoli pushed forward but it was finally closed in the last minute of regular time. Lombardi crossed into the area from the right, Immobile surrounded by defenders headed up in the air and Senad Lulic crept between the backline and the keeper to head the ball in, 2-0.
There was no coming back for Empoli now and after three minutes of added time it was all over. Lazio 2 Empoli 0.
Not a vintage performance by Lazio but resolved by their higher quality of players. Some of whom were still not on top form such as Immobile and Milinkovic-Savic so there was still a lot of room for improvement. Roma had lost too so the fans were happy. One worry however was Biglia's injury. Lazio now had 10 points and were now 8th (with Chievo, Milan, Roma and Bologna).
Empoli had held their own. In the second half they had 67.2% ball possession and pumped 17 crosses into the area but there was the impression they were a bit light up front to finish off their good build up work. The Azzurri were now 19th on 4 points, with Juventus at home to look forward to. It was only September but the relegation battle had already started for the Tuscans.
Who played for Lazio
Strakosha, Wallace, de Vrij, Radu, F.Anderson (84' Lombardi), Parolo, Biglia (9' Cataldi), Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic, Keita (66' Lukaku), Immobile
Substitutes: Vargic, Hoedt, Prce, Patric, Leitner, Murgia, Kishna, Luis Alberto, Djordjevic
Manager: S.Inzaghi
Who played for Empoli
Skorupski, Zambelli, Bellusci, Barba (33' Cosic), Pasqual, Tello (59' Marilungo), Mauri, Croce, Saponara, Gilardino (77' Mchedlidze), Pucciarelli
Substitutes: Pelagotti, Dimarco, Diousse, Buchel, Krunic, Veseli, Maiello, Maccarone
Manager: Martusciello
Referee: Fabbri
Goals: 29' Keita, 90' Lulic
What happened next
Lazio went on to have a positive season finishing 5th and qualifying for the Europa League. The Biancocelesti then had 17 wins (including Samp 7-3, Palermo and Pescara both 6-2), 6 draws and 8 defeats. The highlight in the league was defeating Roma 3-1 in the return derby despite a scandalous penalty for the Giallorossi (the famous Strootman theatrical and simulated dive).
In the Coppa Italia they reached the final after eliminating Genoa 4-2, Inter 2-1 away and Roma 4-3 on aggregate. They were then however defeated 0-2 by Juventus.
Top scorer was Ciro Immobile with 26 goals (23 in A).
Empoli finished 18th and were relegated (two points behind Crotone safe). In the next 32 games they won 7 (including Tuscan derby against Fiorentina and Milan both 2-1 away), drew 7 and lost 18 (including Lazio 1-2). Top scorer was Massimo Maccarone with 7 goals (only in A it was Georgian forward Levan Mchedlidze with 6).
In Coppa Italia the Azzurri then lost to Cesena 1-2 at home (a.e.t).
The 2016-17 Scudetto was won by Juventus for their 33rd title. The teams going down with Empoli were Palermo and Pescara (they are all currently in B). The Coppa Italia as mentioned was also won by Juventus who clinched the double.).
Let’s talk about: Giovanni Martusciello
Giovanni Martusciello was born on August 19, 1971, in Ischia. He began to play football with Ischia Isolaverde and debuted in Serie C1 at 16 years of age. He would go on to play 160 games with Ischia with 6 goals all in C1 with the exception of a single year in C2 in 1990-91.
In 1995 he signed with Empoli in Serie C1 and in two years he contributed to taking the club up to Serie A. In the first they won the League and the Serie C Coppa Italia. In the second they arrived second in Serie B and won promotion. Empoli stayed in Serie A two years and in 1999 were relegated. The highlights for Martusciello were a goal against Lazio and one that gave Empoli their first win in Florence. He made 118 league appearances for the Tuscans and scored 12 goals.
In September 1999 he signed for Genoa in Serie B but did not fit in, so he quit after six months and signed for Palermo who were in Serie C1. In Sicily he did not play much due to injury. He then signed for Cittadella in Serie B and played for two seasons, making 42 league appearances with 3 goals.
His last four seasons of active football were with Catania (29 league games, 3 goals) in Serie B, Sambenedettese (19, 1) and Lucchese (29, 1) in Serie C1 and Pontedera (22, 1) in Serie D.
He then started his coaching career at Empoli as assistant of the Primavera team. He became the first team number two coach in 2010 helping out Alfredo Aglietti and stayed in this role for the following season too, despite four changes of manager. When Maurizio Sarri took over at Empoli in 2012 he became part of the technical team and then went back to his role as assistant when Marco Giampaolo was nominated head coach.
Martusciello took over the full managerial duties for the 2016-17 season but Empoli were relegated. From 2017 to 2019 he worked for Inter as technical collaborator and when Sarri was called to coach Juventus, he became his assistant, a role he kept at Lazio when Sarri moved to the capital in 2021.
During his third year in Rome, after the home defeat against Udinese, Maurizio Sarri resigned. Lazio had a problem in that there was no time to give the job to another manager so Martusciello stayed on and took over for the single game against Frosinone which Lazio won 3-2. When the new manager, Igor Tudor, arrived after the game, Martusciello quit.
In the summer of 2024 he became Salernitana manager in Serie B but only until November.
In June 2025 it was announced that Sarri would be returning to Lazio as head coach but also that this time Martusciello would not be following him.
Lazio fans will always be thankful for Martusciello’s choice to help weather the storm after Sarri resigned. He could have gone, but he stayed to give a hand to the club and team in a difficult moment.
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