Empoli 0-0 Roma: Match report, reaction and key statistics

The Giallorossi's best chances of the game came at the very beginning and end of the 90 minutes - but Lukasz Skorupski proved more than equal to the challenge as he repelled everything Roma threw at him, securing a third successive clean sheet for himself and a point for his team.

Edin Dzeko had Skorupski sprawling early on to make a good save from a header, while the Pole delivered a simply remarkable stop to deny Stephan El Shaarawy at the death, but in between those moments the visitors often struggled to produce the sort of clear-cut openings that would have delivered the three points.

After a smattering of chances in the opening 80 minutes it was in the final 10 that Luciano Spalletti's side really pushed forward, but the Empoli goal seemed to have something of a forcefield around it as headers were cleared off the line, snap-shots were blocked and goal-bound shots palmed away by Skorupski.

The result leaves Roma still second in the Serie A standings, albeit now four points behind leaders Juventus.

Team selection

There was one obvious headline to the team selected by Luciano Spalletti: Antonio Rudiger named in the starting lineup for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in June.

The Germany international, fresh off 10 minutes of action at the end of the midweek win over Sassuolo, slotted straight into the back four. There was a further surprise as Rudiger came in at left-back, with Emerson Palmieri remaining in the right-back slot.

Elsewhere there was just one change from the Mapei Stadium, with Leandro Paredes coming back into the side against his former club in place of Kevin Strootman.

Key moments

FIRST HALF

2’ – Early chance for Roma. Emerson curls in a cross for Dzeko, who forces a brilliant save from Skorupski!

5’ – Half chance for Empoli on the counter, as Gilardino prods wide at the near post.

6’ – Another great save from Skorupski! This time the goalkeeper shows strong hands to block Salah’s powerful half-volley

19’ – Dzeko is fouled on the edge of the box by Belluschi. Booking for the defender.

20’ – Paredes fires a free-kick against the wall

22’ – Nainggolan finds Dzeko but the striker’s shot is blocked. From the corner, Radja flashes narrowly wide.

24’ – Dzeko heads over from Paredes’ chipped ball. A difficult chance

30’ – Pucciarelli flashes over after good work from Gilardino

33’ – A short free-kick is taken to El Shaarawy, but his controlled effort from the edge of the box is deflected wide

41’ – Close for Empoli! Manuel Pasqual takes a free-kick from 25 yards, curling it just wide of Szczesny’s post.

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See more images in our match gallery.

SECOND HALF

49’ – A key moment for Rudiger, as he makes an important intervention when one-on-one with Saponara.

64’ – Paredes’ free-kick is swung in for Manolas, but the defender’s stooping header is well held by Skorupski.

68’ - Gilardino goes down in the box … and is booked for diving.

73’ – Maccarone, on as a substitute, fires straight at Szczesny.

75’ – Peres goes it alone but his left-footed strike is into the side-netting.

78’ – Paredes wins a free-kick, but it is charged down by the wall.

80’ – Tello takes advantage of a slip, but his shot is tame and Szczesny holds easily.

81’ – Huge mix-up in the Roma box, and Maccarone slips narrowly wide from six yards out.

84’ – Another left-footed Peres effort is deflected wide.

84’ – Fazio header is cleared away off the line by Pasqual.

85’ – So close! Perotti gets to the byline and crosses, but Dzeko can’t quite meet the ball and it flies across the area!

88’ – Another goalline clearance, this time from Dzeko. Manolas’s strike is then also charged down.

89' - Fantastic stop from Szczesny, as Pasqual is somehow not flagged for offside and has a free shot inside the box.

90’+1 – Paredes goes for the shot from distance and blasts over.

90’+2 – HOW DID THAT STAY OUT?! Incredible save from Skorupski! Paredes finds El Shaarawy with a great cross, the forward’s volley is brilliant but the goalkeeper makes a remarkable stop!

90'+3 - Salah's shirt is tugged in the box and he goes down ... but the referee cards him for diving!

90’+3 – Another chance for El Shaarawy, who sees his shot on the counter deflected over.

Key match statistics

See more match statistics in our match centre.

Social media reaction

Roma reaction

"No-one would have had any complaints if we had scored three today. We tried hard, played well and created chances. The important thing is that we're creating chances. If we hadn't done that, we'd be talking about a much worse situation right now."

- Radja Nainggolan

What's next?

Two big games await the Giallorossi in the coming week. Firstly they travel to Vienna to face Austria Wien in the Europa League, in a Thursday night match that could go a long way to deciding the final standings in Group E.

Then it is back to the Stadio Olimpico for Spalletti's men, as they host Bologna on Sunday evening.

EMPOLI 0-0 ROMA

Empoli: Skorupski; Veseli (Tello), Bellusci, Costa, Pasqual, Krunic, Diousse (Buchel), Croce; Saponara, Gilardino (Maccarone), Pucciarelli.

Roma: Szczesny; Emerson (Peres), Manolas, Fazio, Rudiger (Jesus); De Rossi (Perotti), Paredes; Salah, Nainggolan, El Shaarawy; Dzeko.