MILAN: Goal-shy Empoli ended an eight-game drought in Serie A with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Pescara that saw players clash at the full-time whistle on Sunday.
Amid relief at the win, Empoli's players had to drag goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski away from Pescara opponents amid clashes after the final whistle.
It took Empoli three games to score their first goals of the season, in a 2-1 defeat of league newcomers Crotone in September.
After that, the goals dried up for Giovanni Martusciello's side amid a run that featured defeats to Inter Milan (2-0), Lazio (2-0), Juventus (3-0) and Napoli (2-0).
But Massimo Maccarone, at 37 one of the oldest players in the league, ended Empoli's goal famine after 12 minutes when he ran on to Manuel Pucciarelli's pass to nutmeg Albano Bizzarri in the Pescara net.
Pucciarelli added a second on 23 minutes and Maccarone grabbed his brace a minute before half-time to give the Tuscans a 3-0 lead and more than double their goals tally for the season.
Riccardo Saponara added a fourth in the 89th minute, his first goal of the season prompting the striker to collapse on the ground in tears.
Empoli's second win in 12 games moved them above the drop zone to fourth from bottom at 17 points behind leaders Juventus ahead of their trip to Chievo later Sunday.
Pescara, meanwhile, sunk to their fourth consecutive defeat. The Adriatic coast side have only one win in 12 games and sit third from bottom of the league.
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