A Cagey Start, Then Marras Delivers on Debut
Cetilar Arena kicked off the new Coppa Italia with a proper derby. Tight. Tense. Neither side wanted to be the one to open things up early, and for a long while it genuinely looked like this might stay goalless deep into the second half.
Pisa kept turning the screw, though, bit by bit, and it paid off right before the break. 44th minute — Tommaso Marras, making his debut for the club, finds the net. 1-0 at halftime. About as good a first impression as you could ask for in your very first appearance in the shirt.
Saporiti Levels It, Then Penalties Decide the Derby
Empoli weren’t going quietly, though. Came out after the restart with more urgency, pushed hard for the equalizer, and got it in the 61st minute — Edoardo Saporiti fires home, 1-1, derby back level. From there it stayed competitive right to the whistle. End to end. Neither side found the extra goal to settle it in normal time.
No extra time in this round, so straight to penalties. Pisa kept their nerve when it counted, won the shootout 4-3, through to the next round.
What It Means Next
Memorable full debut for Marras — scoring in a local derby that came down to the finest of margins, and it’ll mean a lot given how shaky Pisa’s recent form had been. Empoli, unbeaten in five coming in and arguably the better side on paper, will feel there wasn’t much in it at all, and now they’re left with just the sting of a penalty exit in a game that could’ve gone either way. Both sides turn back to their Serie B seasons now.
Match Summary
Pisa 1-1 Empoli (Pisa win 4-3 on penalties) Coppa Italia, Round 1 — Arena Garibaldi-Romeo Anconetani (Cetilar Arena), Pisa, Italy Monday, 17 August 2026
Goals: 44′ Tommaso Marras (Pisa) 1-0 61′ Edoardo Saporiti (Empoli) 1-1
Result: Pisa beat Empoli 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Tuscan derby, advancing to the next round of the Coppa Italia.
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