Cesena 2-2 Empoli

Empoli recovered from a two-goal deficit to pick up their first point of the season, although they could have got more from their trip to Cesena on Saturday.Two goals in as many minutes from Guido Marilungo and Gregoire Defrel gave Cesena the lead against the run of play in the first half as Empoli were punished for their wastefulness.However, Francesco Tavano brought the Tuscans back into the game with a penalty early in the second half before Daniel Rugani, the culprit of most of Empoli's first-half misses, snatched an equaliser to seal a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi.Rugani had his and Empoli's first chance of the clash in the fourth minute, heading straight at Nicola Leali from an excellent position.It was the first of three gilt-edged opportunities wasted by the 20-year-old forward in a bright opening for the visitors, the second coming 10 minutes later and the third when his side were already, surprisingly, two goals behind.The main reason for that deficit was Franco Brienza.Although he did not get his own name on the scoresheet, he was the man who brought Cesena into a game they had approached all wrong.In the 27th minute, he teed up Marilungo for a header from six yards which Luigi Sepe was able to push away.Three minutes later, Brienza cut in from the left and saw his diagonal shot pushed down to Marilungo, whose first effort hit the crossbar and fell back to him to nod in from close range.Less than two minutes later, Cesena doubled their lead with Defrel's long-distance effort catching Sepe out and punishing Empoli for their earlier profligacy.Empoli were given a helping hand back into the game by Cesena defender Stefano Lucchini, who fouled Simone Verdi in the area, allowing Tavano to score his first Serie A goal in four years with a well-placed penalty.The tide had finally turned and Empoli were now getting their reward.After Verdi's shot was tipped over for a corner, Rugani got his when he bundled the ball in at the near post as Cesena failed to clear the ball, earning Empoli their first point since promotion.ends