Pisa and Empoli played out a 1-1 draw in the Coppa Italia Round of 64 on 17 August, with penalties eventually deciding the tie. T. Marras opened the scoring for the hosts before E. Saporiti equalised for the visitors. The match required extra time and a shootout after neither side could force a winner in regular time.
Marras broke the deadlock in the 44th minute, giving Pisa the lead going into the break. G. Yepes collected two yellow cards in quick succession before half-time, while E. Biondini was cautioned in the 22nd minute. Saporiti restored parity in the 61st minute, and the match settled into a cautious rhythm.
Extra time produced a penalty shootout that stretched into the 121st minute. L. Magnino and E. Saporiti each saw their efforts saved, while Marras, Popov, Rao, Shpendi, Meister, Romagnoli and Loyola found the net. The shootout went the full distance, with both sides refusing to go away from the spot.
Pisa dominated possession at 59 per cent and registered 99 attacks compared to Empoli's 66. The hosts created one big chance and generated 1.16 expected goals, while Empoli managed 0.84 xG from fewer opportunities. Shots accuracy was identical at 38 per cent for both sides, though Pisa recorded 10 attempts to Empoli's six.
The result keeps Pisa alive in the competition and sends a message about their resilience under pressure. Empoli will have to reflect on missed opportunities at the business end of extra time. The tie remains open, and both sides have work to do before the next round.