PALERMO, Italy (Interstat) — In a chaotic and dramatic Serie B clash that saw four second-half goals and a flurry of late cards, Palermo edged Empoli FC 3-2 on Saturday at Stadio Renzo Barbera, completing a season sweep of their rival.

The match, which defied a tense, tactical first half with a frantic finish, was ultimately decided by the impact of substitutes from both benches.

Palermo struck first with stunning speed. Just five minutes into the contest, substitute Gabriele Guarino, who had been brought into the lineup shortly before kickoff, fired the home side into an early lead. Empoli found its footing and drew level in the 24th minute through another substitute, Andrea Fulignati, who capitalized on a defensive lapse to slot home the equalizer.

The game entered halftime tied 1-1, but the stalemate was shattered early in the second period. Palermo’s Finnish forward Joel Pohjanpalo, the match’s most decisive figure, put the hosts back in front in the 57th minute. He then doubled his tally and Palermo’s advantage just 15 minutes later, finishing a swift move to make it 3-1. Pohjanpalo’s brace brought his season total to 12 goals across all competitions.

Empoli refused to capitulate. Shortly after Pohjanpalo’s second goal, defender Tyronne Ebuehi, also introduced as a substitute, gave the visitors a lifeline in the 72nd minute, setting up a tense final quarter-hour. Despite sustained pressure, Palermo’s defense held firm to secure all three points.

The victory solidifies Palermo’s strong position in the Serie B table, improving their league record to 10 wins, three losses and two draws. The club’s formidable form across all competitions this season now stands at 23 wins, nine losses and five draws. Empoli FC’s inconsistency continued, as they fell to 7-8-5 in Serie B play and 7-9-6 across all tournaments.

The match was a physical affair, with six yellow cards issued by referee Marco Serra. The first half saw three, to Palermo’s Mattia Bani and Pietro Ceccaroni and Empoli’s Matteo Lovato. The tension boiled over in second-half stoppage time, when Empoli’s Nosa Edward Obaretin was booked, followed immediately by a confrontation that resulted in yellow cards for goal-scorers Andrea Fulignati and Luca Magnino within a minute of each other.

The result continued a dominant trend for Palermo in the recent head-to-head series, following their 3-1 victory over Empoli on Dec. 7. It also outperformed pre-match projections. Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 2-1 Palermo win, while its ELO rating system gave the Sicilian club an 82.9% probability of victory.

Palermo will have little time to celebrate, as they are scheduled to host Milazzo in a Coppa Italia Serie C fixture on Sunday. Their Serie B campaign resumes Tuesday at Sampdoria. Empoli FC, meanwhile, looks to rebound quickly when it hosts Juve Stabia next Wednesday in league play.