Title-chasing ACF Fiorentina spurned the chance to go to the top of Serie A after a 1-1 draw at US Sassuolo on Monday pushed Paulo Sousa’s men up to second, one point behind leaders Inter.
Fiorentina traveled to the Mapei Stadium looking to go clear of Inter ahead of the Nerazzurri’s later match at SSC Napoli on Monday.
However, after Borja Valero capped a lightning start by the visitors to break the deadlock on five minutes, Fiorentina were made to pay for a series of later misses when Sergio Floccari headed home the equalizer three minutes before the interval.
Photo: EPA
Sassuolo have made such a positive start this season that coach Eusebio Di Francesco has been mentioned in reports speculating on who could replace crisis-hit AS Roma coach Rudi Garcia in the event he is fired.
However, the hosts were under attack from the beginning after a lightning Fiorentina start that produced two penalty claims in the opening four minutes.
Federico Bernardeschi’s volley from a Borja Valero free-kick appeared to hit the arm of Sime Vrsaljko and after Valero almost caught Andrea Consigli out with an in-swinging corner the goalkeeper had to bat away, Josip Ilicic tumbled to the turf when impeded by Acerbi in the area.
Both claims were waved away, but Fiorentina made good barely a minute later when Ilicic capitalized on chaotic defending to set up the unmarked Valero who, via a touch from Giuseppe Rossi, had time to pick his spot from eight yards.
Sassuolo looked all at sea and endured a nervous moment when Consigli was left out of his goal after a wayward clearance that Valero promptly collected. The Spaniard, who is reportedly being scouted by Manchester United, saw his strike head for home, but Consigli scrambled back to block in time.
It was stirring stuff from the visitors, and Consigli produced a great stop to thwart Ilicic on a one-on-one when the Slovenian playmaker was sent through on the right of goal.
However, Fiorentina were made to pay for those misses three minutes before the interval, when Floccari rose on the edge of the six-yard box to fire a bullet header through Ciprian Tatarusanu’s hands.
With nine league goals so far, including a brace last week when he came off the bench to level 2-2 at home to Empoli, Nikola Kalinic’s entry was only a matter of time and 11 minutes into the second half he replaced Rossi. Fiorentina came close when Manuel Pasqual burst down the left and controlled a long midfield pass to unleash an angled drive that Consigli parried for a corner.
However, Sassuolo remained a threat and had a great chance when Vrsaljko fired an inviting cross to Floccari, only for Gonzalo Rodriguez to rush back and fire out for a corner.
Fiorentina pressed in the closing minutes and were unlucky when claiming a third penalty award after Valero’s attempted cutback struck a Sassuolo arm.
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