Fiorentina-Atalanta 1-1: Cabral responds to Maehle, Gasperini moves away from the Champions area

FLORENCE — A hard-fought match ends in a draw, open until the last moment. With the initial advantage of Maehle and the equal caught by Cabral on a penalty kick in the second half. In the middle of pretty much everything. From Dodò’s endless runs to Toloi’s interventions, from Guida’s refereeing decisions (above all the penalty kick for the Viola) to the final assault by the Italian team who hit a sensational post with Biraghi on a free kick and then called Sportiello to intervene providential on the goal line on a header by Bonaventura from a corner. Maehle’s goal comes after a tackle won with Terzic and the Viola defense with holes in the central streets. He cheers, silences the home crowd, gets booked for it. The equalizer in the second half. On Terzic’s cross, Toloi’s arm touch and prolonged Var intervention. It’s a penalty, Cabral beats him and scores by displacing Sportiello. Fifteenth goal of the season for the Brazilian, idol of the square all the more after the video that he depopulated and which sees him as the protagonist of some dribbles with some kids in the square on his day off. There are continuous reversals in front, it’s seven minutes of added time. Then the referee blows his whistle and the 30,000 Franchi can still applaud. Fiorentina climbs to 42 points in the standings, just two lengths from seventh place. Atalanta remains in fifth place and lacks the opportunity to gnaw other points from the competitors for a Champions League placement.

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Maehle gives Atalanta the lead

Between rotations and opportunities to be seized. On the one hand, a Fiorentina back from thirteen consecutive useful results and launched both in the Conference League and in the Italian Cup. On the other, Atalanta, looking for points to stay in the wake of a Champions League placement. The Viola show themselves immediately with a header from Quarta that ends just wide. Then the ringing of Barak, low shot from distance, who called Sportiello to intervene in two stages. In the 16th minute Cabral receives his back to goal: he turns and kicks, with the Bergamo goalkeeper deflecting for a corner. On 20′ Gonzalez’s shot just wide. In the 24th minute, however, the great Viola opportunity, again with the Argentine who, following developments from a corner, with a header, misses the goal by a matter of centimeters with Sportiello who makes up for a corner. Atalanta was also seen in the 30th minute, with Zapata’s powerful but high shot from the edge of the box. In the 37th minute Gasperini’s team took the lead: Maehle won a tackle with Terzic at the limit, took advantage of the enormous space left by the two Viola centre-backs, broke in and beat Terracciano with Milenkovic who had tried to remedy does not have the desired effects. Maehle exulted by silencing the Fiorentina fans and for this reason the referee Guide warned him. The first half ends with the Viola being a bit imprecise, with many errors in possession and support, and with a cynical Atalanta at the right point.

Cabral equalized from the penalty spot

The Italian immediately replaces Ikonè, inserting the offensive full-back Brekalo. Fiorentina restarted strong, first with two inaccurate shots from Gonzalez and Barak, then with the penalty episode. On persistent action by the Viola, Toloi touches with his arm after Terzic’s cross from the left. A few interminable minutes pass, then the intervention of the Var: the referee Guide judges him from a penalty kick and Cabral, from the penalty spot, displaces Sportiello. Fifteenth goal of the season for the Brazilian striker, idol of the Viola fans even more after the video that saw him playing in the square with some children on the rest day after the victory in the Conference League against Lech Poznan. Brekalo receives a hard blow to the head after a tackle with Toloi and a few minutes later, we are on the 62nd minute, he has to come out with a dizzy spell. In the 72nd minute, as soon as he entered, Biraghi caught a full post to Sportiello’s right on a free kick from the edge and shook the Franchi packed with 30,000 spectators.

Fiorentina-Atalanta match report

Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Terracciano 6; Dodò 7, Quarta 6, Milenkovic 5.5, Terzic 6 (27′ st Biraghi 6); Castrovilli 6 (45′ st Bianco sv), Mandragora 6; Ikoné 5 (1′ st Brekalo 6) (19′ st Sottil 6), Barak 6 (19′ st Bonaventura 6), Gonzalez 6; Cabral 7. All. Italian 6.

Atalanta (3-5-2): counter 6; Toloi 5, Djimsiti 6, Scalvini 5.5 (31′ st Palomino 6); Zappacosta 6, De Roon 5.5, Ederson 5.5, Maehle 6.5, Koopmeiners 6, Zapata 5.5 (39′ st Boga sv), Hojlund 6 (25′ st Muriel 6). Herds Gasperini 6.

Referee: Guide 7.

Scorers: 37′ pt Maehle, 11′ st Cabral (pen).

Note: Maehle, Scalvini, Toloi and Quarta booked. Spectators: 29,628.