Massimo Maccarone has fired Empoli into a 1-0 lead over Scudetto hopefuls Roma following a first half that saw both teams reduced to 10 men.
It was the visitors who started the better of the sides, and Manuel Pucciarelli had Roma hearts in mouths early on when he beat Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa before firing across the face of goal.
The hosts continued to toil in the final third, with Daniele Rugani throwing himself in the way of Miralem Pjanic's close-range strike.
A tentative first half sparked into life on 38 minutes when Roma defender Kostas Manolas was shown a straight red card for bringing down Riccardo Saponara inside the box.
Maccarone stepped up to dispatch the resulting penalty, but Empoli's bid to preserve that lead was dented when Saponara also received his marching orders for a second yellow card on the stroke of half time.
Shane Callaghan
