Andrea Costa's second-half goal has given Empoli a 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona in Luigi Delneri's first Serie A match in charge of the Gialloblu.
The visitors began the match on the front foot and Leandro Paredes fired narrowly wide, before Massimo Maccarone forced Pierluigi Gollini into a save from his strike.
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Maccarone was proving to be a danger for the Verona defence and the veteran striker soon forced the keeper into action again from his stinging low drive towards the bottom corner.
Verona then worked an opening at the other end of the pitch as Luca Toni rose to meet Luca Siligardi's cross and saw his header saved by Lukasz Skorupski.
The hosts were ending the first half strongly and Federico Viviani's effort was turned behind by
Skorupski, before Toni saw another header stopped by the keeper.
However, Verona were caught out in the 62nd minute, as Costa slotted in to give Empoli the lead, after his initial header had been saved by Gollini.
Matteo Bianchetti almost came up with a quick response for the home side just minutes later, but he could only fire his effort against the post.
It proved to be as close as Verona would come to an equaliser, as they slipped to a ninth defeat in the league this season.
Alex Meyers
