Serie A | Empoli 3-0 Monza: Zurkowski hat-trick on Nicola debut

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated 1/21/24

New Empoli coach Davide Nicola made an ideal debut with Szymon Zurkowski scoring his first ever hat-trick to flatten Monza 3-0.

The Tuscans sacked Aurelio Andreazzoli after just three draws in the last eight rounds, culminating in a 2-1 defeat to Verona that left them one point off the bottom. They had not won since November away to Napoli and their only previous home victory was against Salernitana in September.

Comeback specialist Nicola had to do without suspended Matteo Cancellieri, injured Francesco Caputo, Simone Bastoni, Tyronne Ebuehi, Ardian Ismajli, Gabriele Guarino and Giuseppe Pezzella, so threw new signing Alberto Cerri straight into the starting XI.

Monza had Samuele Birindelli banned, Jose Machin on international duty, plus Michele Di Gregorio and Gianluca Caprari on the treatment table. Coach Raffaele Palladino also had to watch from the stands due to a touchline ban.

Emmanuel Gyasi was sent clear on goal by an inspired Sebastiano Luperto slide-rule pass, only to be denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Alessandro Sorrentino.

Moments later, the hosts took the lead when a Razvan Marin cross was deflected up into the air, turning into an accidental assist for the fantastic Zurkowski right-foot volley from the edge of the area. It was his second goal in as many games since returning to Empoli from Spezia.

Roberto Gagliardini fired just off target, but the Tuscans doubled their lead when Sorrentino performed a desperate save on Cerri and then was only able to watch as Zurkowski nodded the rebound in off the underside of the bar.

Luperto had to nod the Giorgos Kyriakopoulos cross practically off the line to prevent a Lorenzo Colombo tap-in.

After the restart, Elia Caprile pushed away the Dany Mota Carvalho header, but Empoli completed the rout when Valentin Carboni lost it in midfield and Zurkowski went on the counter, then was ready to fire in after a Stiven Shpendi roll across was blocked by Luca Caldirola. It was not only his first ever hat-trick, but also a perfect one – right foot, left and head.

Empoli 3-0 Monza

Zurkowski 13, 38, 73 (E)

21-01-2024 14:00 MatchDay 21 Stadio Comunale Carlo Castellani

Empoli

Monza 3 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Szymon Zurkowski		13'
Szymon Zurkowski		38'

2nd half

Bartosz Bereszynski	49'
	70'	Luca Caldirola
	72'	Dany Mota
Szymon Zurkowski (Assist: Stiven Shpendi)

73' 90+2'

Pablo Marí

Match statistic

28 Possession % 72 9 Total shots 15 5 Shots on target 5 2 Shots off target 5 2 Blocked shots 5 1 Corners 7 Offsides 2 15 Fouls 10 Empoli Monza

Starting lineups

Elia Caprile Goalkeeper 34

Ardian Ismajli Defender 19

Bartosz Bereszynski Defender 61' 4

Sebastian Walukiewicz Defender 33

Sebastiano Luperto Defender 5

Alberto Grassi Midfielder 18

Razvan Marin Midfielder 61' 27

Szymon Zurkowski Midfielder

Alberto Cerri Attacker 69' 11 Emmanuel Gyasi Attacker 28

Nicolò Cambiaghi Attacker 86' 23 Alessandro Sorrentino Goalkeeper 4

Armando Izzo Defender 46' 77

Georgios Kyriakopoulos Defender 5

Luca Caldirola Defender 22

Pablo Marí Defender 28

Andrea Colpani Midfielder 75' 32

Matteo Pessina Midfielder 13

Pedro Pereira Midfielder 67' 6

Roberto Gagliardini Midfielder 46' 47 Dany Mota Attacker 9 Lorenzo Colombo Attacker

46'

Substitutes

35 Tommaso Baldanzi Midfielder 1

Samuele Perisan Goalkeeper 12 Jacopo Seghetti Goalkeeper 38 Gabriele Indragoli Defender 31 Giacomo Corona Attacker Saba Goglichidze Defender 29 Youssef Maleh Midfielder 61' 13 Liberato Cacace Defender 61' 7 Stiven Shpendi Attacker 69' 21 Jacopo Fazzini Midfielder 86' 8

Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro Midfielder 44 Andrea Carboni Defender 2

Giulio Donati Defender 18

Davide Bettella Defender 84 Patrick Ciurria Attacker 62 Andrea Mazza Goalkeeper 66 Stefano Gori Goalkeeper 61 Andrea Ferraris Attacker 33

Danilo D’Ambrosio Defender 46' 24 Mirko Maric Attacker 46' 38

Warren Bondo Midfielder 46' 21 Valentín Carboni Midfielder 67' 27

Daniel Maldini Midfielder

75'

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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