Unaware that Szymon Zurkowski was offside, Boateng created a vital block on the Empoli midfielder when he was clean on goal. Antonio Candreva had cries for penalties, but when the veteran attempted to cut inside him on the counterattack, Bartosz Bereszynski made good use of his power.

Niccolò Cambiaghi cut inside from the left and blasted a right-footed cross-shot into the far top corner of the goal, beating Guillermo Ochoa with a big deflection off Alessandro Zanoli's head to give Empoli the lead. After Domagoj Bradaric was fouled, Alberto Cerri squandered a good counterattack, and Boulaye Dia, making a comeback to the starting lineup, turned and shot inches wide from 12 yards. Following Niccolò Pierozzi's injury, Israeli international Shon Weissman made his Salernitana Serie A debut. Just before halftime, Elia Caprile produced a breathtaking one-handed stop to fingertip the Giorgos Kastanos volley out from under the bar.