Empoli draws with Lecce in game of costly defensive errors

ROME (AP) — Empoli drew at home to Lecce 1-1 and extended the visitor's winless run to 10 matches in Serie A on Monday.

Also, Cagliari scored twice in injury time to beat visiting Sassuolo 2-1 and move out of the relegation places into 16th place, one behind Sassuolo.

It was the fourth game in a row Lecce drew and it moved to 17 points, five ahead of Empoli, which sat one place above the relegation zone.

It could have been different for Lecce after it took the lead in the 64th minute thanks to a goalkeeping error by Etrit Berisha. Zambian winger Lameck Banda tried his luck from almost 30 meters out, and although the shot appeared to pose little danger it bounced right in front of Berisha and between his legs.

Empoli, though, struck back seven minutes later with an equally fortunate goal. Defender Hamza Rafia stuck out a leg to stop a cross from the right but the ball hit his knee and deflected in over his own keeper.

Sassuolo scored against Cagliari after seven minutes thanks to a Martin Erlić header, and was managing well even after a red card for defender Ruan Tressoldi 17 minutes into the second half.

But injury time was action-packed. Just seconds after Sassuolo saw a second goal ruled out for offside, Gianluca Lapadula equalized. Then, with almost the last kick of the game, Leonardo Pavoletti scored from an overhead kick to put Cagliari ahead and give the Sardinian side only its third win of the league.

Inter Milan leads the league, two points ahead of Juventus.

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