Empoli and Spezia shared the spoils in a Club Friendly on 1 August 2026, the final score reading 1:1. F. Di Stefano gave the hosts an early lead before Spezia levelled from the spot in the closing stages. The match ended with both sides having seen enough to assess their summer preparations.
Di Stefano struck just three minutes in, putting Empoli ahead and setting the tone for what followed. Spezia responded with greater territory but struggled to find the net. By then the hosts had built a cushion that would prove difficult to overturn.
The turning point came in the eightieth minute. Spezia won a penalty and missed the first attempt, but recovered to convert on their second effort, completing a dramatic equaliser. The penalty sequence was messy, but it was enough to salvage a point for the visitors.
Statistics told the story of Spezia's control. They registered 79 attacks to Empoli's 65 and held 57 per cent possession. The visitors also earned six corners compared to the hosts' single effort. Yet Empoli's efficiency in their lone chance meant they avoided defeat.
The draw leaves both sides with mixed feelings ahead of the new campaign. Spezia's recent form has been inconsistent — they lost 2:4 to Catanzaro and 0:2 to Mantova — while Empoli's results have been more steady. This result does little to settle either side's ambitions.