Just over a month into his fourth spell as Empoli manager, Aurelio Andreazzoli has prioritised solidity to draw a line under the club’s torrid start to the season.
His approach has succeeded in putting points on the board, but the confidence that came with consecutive clean sheets prior to kick-off was soon wiped out by a majestic Atalanta opener made by Ademola Lookman’s pinpoint pass and finished off by an audacious Scamacca backheel.
The striker went for the jugular after notching his first club-level goal since early September, with a curling effort onto the post swiftly followed by a superb guided header, which was disallowed for offside.
Scamacca then turned provider in a one-sided first period, as his enticing ball across the box was met by Teun Koopmeiners, whose powerful first-time effort went straight through Etrit Berisha.
With Atalanta scoring exactly twice in their last four matches, Empoli may have expected the visitors to shut up shop after the break, but a goal-hungry Scamacca had other ideas, clinically putting the result beyond doubt with a drilled right-footed finish.
The 24-year-old spurned two glorious chances to take home the match ball, too, but a clumsy attempt looped over from five yards before a stunning effort cannoned off the crossbar on a night when he feasibly could have scored six goals.
Empoli’s best moment came when Nicolo Cambiaghi raced into the right channel before rifling a shot at Juan Musso, but fans were ultimately consigned to another miserable night, having witnessed just one home league goal all season.
Andreazzoli’s side are back in the drop zone with newly-promoted Frosinone up next, while Atalanta will take spirit and belief into their mouth-watering meeting with Inter Milan after leaping up to fourth in the Serie A table.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta)
