Series A

UECL | Fiorentina 2-1 Genk: Viola qualify for knockouts

Published

1 year ago

10:19 pm

Fiorentina have certified for the Convention League knockouts after beating Genk 2-1, however high spot goes all the way down to the wire.

The Viola have been high of their group and a win would assure qualification to the knockouts. Giacomo Bonaventura, Rolando Mandragora, Dodo and Gaetano Castrovilli missed out, however Michael Kayode returned over a month after spraining his ankle. Genk got here again twice for a 2-2 draw when these sides met in Belgium in September.

There was an enormous danger within the opening 5 minutes, as Alieu Fadera sprung the offside lure simply previous the midway line and beat the on-rushing Oliver Christensen, however bent the end onto the bottom of the far publish.

Antonin Barak blasted over from the sting of the world, however Fadera was very lucky to not obtain a second yellow card for 2 consecutive excessive boots on Fabiano Parisi on 37 minutes.

Fiorentina thought that they had scored when the goalkeeper flapped at Jonathan Ikone’s cross to seek out Christian Kouame on the rebound, however he was denied by the Patrik Hrosovsky goal-line clearance.

Genk additionally realised that Fadera was on skinny ice and substituted him simply earlier than half-time. It proved an impressed transfer, as a result of substitute Christopher Bonsu Baah offered the help for Joris Kayode on the counter-attack, who rode a mistimed Lucas Martinez-Quarta deal with and fired into the roof of the online from six yards.

The Viola frustration grew with a unbelievable Hendrik Van Crombrugge save on Barak, then on the ensuing nook he additionally parried the Yerry Mina header, however may do nothing on the Martinez-Quarta follow-up.

The hosts got here out combating for the restart, Barak forcing one other unbelievable Van Crombrugge save on a nook from point-blank vary.

They gained a sequence of free kicks, together with a Cristiano Biraghi effort that was acrobatically palmed out from the close to high nook.

Fiorentina have been dominating the second half and earned a penalty with a well-worked transfer involving a sequence of one-touch passes, till Kayode was introduced down by Sadick. Nico Gonzalez calmly rolled it into the close to backside nook, sending the goalkeeper the incorrect method.

A scuffle broke out in stoppages that noticed the referee referred to as for a VAR evaluation when Galarza appeared to elbow Arthur Melo within the face, however the official solely opted for a yellow card. Extra arguments erupted in 11 minutes of stoppages.

So long as they keep away from defeat away to Ferencvaros, then Fiorentina will safe high spot and keep away from the play-offs.

Fiorentina 2-1 Genk

Kayode 45 (G), Martinez-Quarta 45+4 (F), Nico Gonzalez pen 82 (F)