Fiorentina in Conference League quarterfinals: Panathinaikos upended at Franchi
Conference League: Fiorentina-Panathinaikos 3-1
Fiorentina's adventure in the Conference League continues. The Viola, after losing 3-2 in the first leg, managed to overturn the result, at home, in the return match by imposing 3-1 on Panathinaikos, thus centering the quarterfinals.
Twelve minutes pass and Fiorentina finds the goal that puts the qualification discourse back on an even keel: On the development of a corner, the ball ends up to Mandragora, who from the distance lets off a left-footed shot that doesn’t give Dragowski’ex violet.
On 24’, the hosts found the goal to double and overtake in the double-header: Ranieri blew the ball to Viagiannidis and served Gudmundsson, who got rid of Arao and slotted into the net, sealing his second consecutive goal. At the end of the first half, the Viola came close to scoring the third goal with Kean, who on an excellent assist from the former Genoa man concludes toward the goal, finding a providential response from Dragowski who keeps his side in the game.
In the resumption, è Panathinaikos to go close four times to the goal, but in the end è Fiorentina to drop the tris at 76’: Gosens sends in depth; Kean, who frees himself of Ingason and beats the green-and-white’s extreme defender in exit.
The Greek team throws itself into the attack in search of the goal that would rekindle their hopes of qualification and at 80’their forcing is repaid: Fagioli dabs Ounahi in the box and the match director awards the penalty to Panathinaikos. From the penalty spot Ioannidis does not miss.
The goal gave even more momentum to Rui Vitoria’s boys, who threw themselves forward in search of the goal that would take the match into extra time. In the midst of recovery, however, the guests remained in ten, as Mladenovic, already cautioned, was forced to commit a tactical foul to prevent the Viola’s restart, thus receiving his second yellow. Strengthened by the’extra man’Fiorentina is able to manage the ball with more tranquility; in the opponent’s half of the field until the final whistle.
In the next round, Palladino’s men will face the Slovenians of Celje, who folded Lugano on penalty kicks after a pyrotechnic 4-3 obtained in the 120'.
