Modena Edge Past Empoli 2-1 in Serie B Thriller
Modena secured a hard-won victory over Empoli at the Alberto Braglia, finishing 2-1 in the fifth round of the Serie B regular season. The result moved the hosts up to fourth place with ten points, while the visitors slipped further behind in twelfth with six.And here's the thing about this match — it wasn't the kind of game decided by possession or territory. Modena had the ball more, but Empoli didn't surrender easily to a second-half surge.
Gerard Yepes gave Empoli the lead in the twenty-seventh minute, capitalising on a moment of chance in what had been a cautiously played opening half. The away side created little in the final third — just one big chance all afternoon — but Yepes was sharp enough to finish when it mattered.
Andrea Belotti dragged Modena back into contention on the hour mark, heading home from a well-worked move that finally broke through Empoli's resistance. By then the game had shifted. Modena were pressing higher, and the visitors' goalkeeper was called into action more frequently as the pressure mounted.
Giuseppe Ambrosino sealed the victory seven minutes later, cutting in from the right to fire past the keeper after another big chance was created. The home side had four of those all evening, and they took them when it counted.
To be fair, Empoli had their moments — Cristian Cauz was booked late on after a frustrated challenge, and the away defence made twenty-nine clearances, but one mistake ends it when you're chasing a game.
Modena dominated the statistics, holding sixty percent possession and registering eight shots on target compared to four for the visitors. They completed 464 passes to Empoli's 286, and their 19 key passes told the story of a team that found space.
Empoli were more direct, with forty-eight long passes, but their four shots on target yielded nothing after Yepes had struck.
The result leaves Modena four points clear of the drop zone, while Empoli are now three points behind safety.
The hosts have won two of their last five — a pattern that suggests they're building something, even if it's not pretty. Empoli have lost three in a row, and the pressure is beginning to show.
