Fiorentina-Lecce 1-0; Gallo’s own goal, the Viola seal a golden month

FLORENCE – An own goal by Gallo in the first half against Fiorentina is enough to secure the seventh consecutive victory between the championship and Europe and thus round off a golden month. What followed from 12 February, the day of the last defeat against Juventus away, until 19 March which ended with Baroni’s narrow victory over Lecce which allowed the Italian coach to prepare the break for the national teams with optimism and confidence . Because Fiorentina will play everything in April: the semi-finals of the Italian Cup against Cremonese, the possibility of reaching the semi-finals of the Conference League (in the quarter-finals, the Viola will face the Poles of Lech Poznan) and even the hopes of grabbing seventh place in the standings . Position approached thanks to this month. Lecce shows up only on very few occasions: Strefezza kicks high to cross in the first half and Di Francesco engages Terracciano from close range at the start of the second half. Then Fiorentina, in addition to Gallo’s own goal generated by Saponara’s excellent cross from the left and in an attempt to anticipate Gonzalez, managed and closed almost without suffering. At the start of the game, defender Milenkovic was honored with a commemorative shirt for his 200 appearances for the viola. Then the applause for coach Baroni, linked to the city of Florence for which he has never hidden his love for him. On the field, however, there is no history. And Fiorentina celebrates with the seventh consecutive victory between the championship and Europe and the number 8 in the last 9 matches ever.

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Viola takes the lead with an own goal from Gallo

Fiorentina for the seventh consecutive victory between the championship and the Cups, Lecce to definitively abandon the hot spots of the standings. Baroni returns to Florence and Italiano chases the positive streak. Before the kick-off, Viola’s general manager, Joe Barone, awarded defender Milenkovic with a special shirt: the one for 200 matches with Fiorentina. In the 18th minute, the first lunge, with Saponara going on his own and then kicking from the edge of the box: goalkeeper Falcone deflects for a corner but referee Abisso doesn’t repent and starts again with a goal kick. In the 20th minute it was Strefezza who maneuvered Lecce’s response: a high shot to cross. In the 26th minute, Biraghi kicked a free-kick from the left, Barak headed just wide. On 27′ the Viola lead: great recovery by Igor, ball delivered to Saponara who from the left lets in a perfect cross to insert Gonzalez. But the Argentine is anticipated by Gallo who, in an attempt, sends the ball into his own goal. It’s an own goal. This is how the first half ended, with the Viola legitimately in the lead: Lecce, for example, had 89% possession of the ball in their own half, closed in by opposing pressure.

Recovery in management and Fiorentina slips the seventh in a row

The rhythms slow down, the two coaches implement some changes but the result does not change. Fiorentina slips away the seventh consecutive victory between the championship and the Cups, the number 8 in the last nine races. An evident rise also in the standings, where the Viola have dropped below seventh place which is worth the Conference League playoffs. In the second half excellent intervention by Terracciano on Di Francesco’s shot from close range. But then the Viola defense locks itself up, Lecce struggles to find space and a less brilliant second half follows compared to the first half, with far fewer chances than those created by Gonzalez and Dodò for the Viola. There is also room to see Maleh again at the Franchi, in what was his stadium until January before moving on to Lecce. Cabral also enters in place of Kouamè in the shadows: the Brazilian is Fiorentina’s top scorer with his 12 goals of the season, 7 of these in the last 9 games that marked the Viola’s turnaround. The more than 34,000 spectators cheer and Fiorentina can go to the break with a good haul of points and enthusiasm. For Lecce, however, salvation is still to be conquered.

Fiorentina 4-2-3-1 Terracciano 6.5; Dodò 6.5, Milenkovic 6, Igor 6.5, Biraghi 6; Amrabat 7, Mandragora 6 (40′ st Bonaventura sv); Gonzalez 6.5 (40′ st Ikonè sv), Barak 6 (40′ st Duncan sv), Saponara 7 (25′ st Sottil 6); Kouamé 5.5 (25′ st Cabral 6). All. Italian 7.
Lecce 4-3-3 Falcon; Gendrey 5.5 (34′ st Cassandro 6), Baschirotto 6.5, Umtiti 6, Gallo 5; Gonzalez 6 (33′ st Helgason 5.5), Hjulmand 5.5, Blin 5.5 (25′ st Maleh 5); Di Francesco 5.5, Colombo 5 (38′ st Ceesay sv), Strefezza 5.5 (25′ st Oudin 6). Herds Barons 5.5.
Referee: Abyss 5.5.
Note: Blin, Igor, Maleh, Umtiti booked.
Markers: 27′ pt author. Rooster.