Napoli center back Nikola Maksimovic. (Photo : Getty Images)
Contending club SSC Napoli (5-2-2, 17 points) will try to build a new winning streak as the team takes on bottom three team Empoli FC (1-5-3, 6 points) on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the San Paolo Stadium as the 2016-2017 Serie A season goes forward.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 2:45 p.m. ET. It can be viewed live online thru FuboTV.
Napoli snapped a two-game losing skid after nipping cellar-dwellers Crotone, 2-1, last Sunday at the Adriatico Stadium, as per SB Nation.
Gli Azzurri scored the opening goal with a right-footed shot from Spanish winger Jose Callejon in the 17th minute, two minutes after Manolo Gabbiadini's center-box left-footer was saved by Crotone keeper Alex Cordaz.
After some back-and-forth action between the two sides, Gabbiadini was booked for a straight red card and sent off in the 31st to put the visitors a man-down early. However, instead of wilting, head coach Maurizio Sarri's side retaliated with another goal, this time coming from Serbian defender Nikola Maksimovic, with a close-range left-footer off an assist by teammate Ivan Strinic.
The hosts scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute, denying Napoli shot-stopper Pepe Reina a clean sheet.
The win kept Partenopei in the fourth spot of the current league table, only two points behind Roma and AC Milan, who are tied on points for the second and third spots.
Meanwhile, Empoli is on a sixth straight winless performance after holding contending squad Chievo to a goalless draw also last Sunday at their home field of Carlo Castellani Stadium, via Sofa Score.
It was the second straight drawn match for head coach Giovanni Martusciello's squad following a three-game losing slide. The team snapped their losing streak in the previous round by settling in an away tie with Genoa.
The draw kept Empoli in the bottom three relegation area, tied on points with fellow bottom three squad Palermo but has a slightly higher goal differential. Only Crotone is lower in the standings with only a point so far after nine rounds of competitions.
Prediction and Predicted Lineup
The predicted result is a 2-1 decision for Napoli.
Napoli starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Reina; Soderlund, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Strinic; Allan, Diawara, Hamsik; Callejon, Gabbiadini, Mertens
Empoli starting lineup (4-3-1-2 formation): Skorupski; Laurini, Bellusci, Costa, Pasqual; Krunic, Jankovic, Croce; Saponara; Marilungo, Maccarone
