SANTA CROCE SULL’ARNO, Italy (Interstat) — In a commanding display that defied pregame projections, Empoli U18 secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Carrarese U18 on Thursday in a match organized by Portugal’s Segunda Liga a-10 competition.

The game, played at Stadio Libero Masini, saw the home side rebound emphatically from a season-opening loss, controlling the match throughout against a Carrarese team that struggled to generate offense.

The result improved Empoli U18’s record within the Segunda Liga a-10 to one win and one loss on the young season. Carrarese U18 fell to zero wins and one loss in its debut in the competition. The records across all competitions for both teams are identical to their marks in this tournament.

The final score stood in stark contrast to the prediction from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-0 win for the visiting Carrarese side. However, the analytics firm’s ELO rating system had calculated Empoli U18 with a 65.3 percent probability to win, a figure borne out by the dominant performance on the pitch.

After a scoreless first half, Empoli U18 broke through six minutes after the restart. Forward Aleksandar Busnić found the net in the 51st minute, providing the crucial opening goal that shifted the momentum firmly in the home team’s favor.

The lead was doubled 15 minutes later. Midfielder Rodrigo Ramos scored in the 66th minute, giving Empoli U18 a comfortable two-goal cushion and placing Carrarese U18 under increased pressure to mount a response.

Any lingering doubt about the outcome was extinguished in the 79th minute. Forward Heinz Mörschel added a third goal for Empoli, sealing the comprehensive 3-0 victory and capping a productive second-half offensive outburst.

The win served as a positive response for Empoli U18, which opened its campaign in this tournament with a 2-0 loss on the road against Internazionale U18 back on Oct. 13, 2025. For Carrarese U18, the match marked a challenging introduction to the Segunda Liga a-10 structure, as the team was held scoreless and will look to regroup after the defeat.

The match was contested between the under-18 academy sides of two Italian clubs, Empoli and Carrarese, within a Portuguese league framework, highlighting the cross-border nature of some European youth development competitions.