Verona sees salvation: Fiorentina beaten 2-1
Verona-Fiorentina 2-1
Fiorentina’s hopes of getting back into the conference zone were dashed at the Bentegodi in Verona against Baroni’s Hellas. Two to one the final for the gialloblù in front of 27 thousand spectators including 1700 purple fans, twinned historically with the Veronese. Three points d’oro in the salvation key for the Veneti who rise to 34 points in the standings with three matches to play, the next one against Torino always at the Bentegodi. Fiorentina, stuck on 50 points, will play for their season in the Conference League return leg Thursday night in Belgium against Bruges after a 3-2 victory in the first leg. Standings: Fiorentina 50, Verona 34. Next round: Fiorentina-Monza (May 13, 8:45 p.m.), Verona-Torino (May 12, 3 p.m.).
First half. Hellas to start. Vinagre centers from the short side of the area, careful purple rearguard. 12’: Noslin steals ball from goalkeeper Christensen who lands it, penalty for Hellas, Lazovic on the spot: 1 to 0. Bentegodi in ecstasy. Not a minute passes that Lazovic goes off on the right, center, Bonazzoli volleying in, ball wide. On the’other front dangerous exchange Nzola-Ikonè who finds himself, under measure though off-center, in touch with Montipò: immediate low center, rebounded. The violets push: Barak, undisturbed in the middle of the area, great take-off, Montipò lifts it to a corner. The pace is not very high.
Lazovic tries from outside, “phone call” for Christensen; then Serdar’s center from the right side to the side. Thrill on 28’ : Castrovilli, off-center on the left on the edge of the area, lets off a diagonal shot that hits a resounding post. Then Ikonè, taken regularly on the offside line in the central corridor, sees his conclusion rejected by a monumental Montipò. On the’other front Hellas has the’opportunity’to double: the usual Lazovic centers low from the right, also this time Bonazzoli corrects on the volley, undisturbed in the middle of the area but without bothering Christensen. 42’, Fiorentina’s equalizer: Castrovilli, well served by Nzola in the area on the left, wins a contrast with Centonze and strikes Montipò for the 1 to 1, Exult the purple fans, Bentegodi muffled.
Second half. Swiderski in for Bonazzoli in Verona. 9’: center by Duda from the left, Christensen neutralizes. 14’: great remittance action, cross by Lazovic, Milenkovic rejects it short, Noslin of counter leap strikes Christensen centrally, ball under the crossbar, 2 to 1. Not even time to rejoice that Var intervenes to verify a possible foul of Noslin’s hand at the moment of the shot, Bentegodi in anxious anticipation, goal validated, purple protests. We restart at 2 to 1. Baroni inserts Tchatchoua for Vinagre; Italiano replaces Duncan for Bonaventura, Castrovilli for Kouame. On 24’ Mandragora and Beltran, in Fiorentina, in for Ikonè and Lopez. Verona controls, Lazovic misses the turn in the center of the area. 29’ in goes Suslov for Lazovic in Hellas.
Bonaventura’s entry creates havoc in the Giallobl’s area: a long cross, a rebounded shot his calling card. Viola with the foot pressed on the’accelerator: Nzola on the volley, in the area, kicks incredibly over the crossbar. Last changes at 40’: inside Belotti for Faraoni in Fiorentina, in Verona here is Dawidowicz for Magnani and Dani Silva for Folorunsho. The Tuscans push, the Veneti resist and restart. 44’: round ball by Suslov to the side. Six minutes of recovery time. Bonaventura tries again from the edge, out. Fiorentina free kick at 95’ from the right of the Gialloblù area: nothing done. Triple whistle: Verona-Fiorentina 2 to 1.
