Fiorentina-Roma 2-1: Jovic and Ikoné overturn the Giallorossi in the final

FLORENCE – For large stretches the pace is slow and the head to the Conference and Europa League finals, where Fiorentina and Roma play most of their season. For this reason, both Italiano and Mourinho change a lot, they introduce some new formations in the complicated task of not giving up in the league but not wasting energy in view of the two finals. Roma play a throw-in, they will finish with 84% of ball possession in their own half. In the 11th minute, however, he took the lead with El Shaarawy who picked up Solbakken’s side after Belotti’s cross from the left and deflected into the net in front of goal with the complicity of Quarta who left him alone. In the end of the first half El Shaarawy and then Belotti always call Cerofolini to the two interventions to applause. In the second half the pace slows down even more, with the two technicians changing their interpreters. Yet, in the final minutes, nervousness ignites the challenge. Fiorentina is charged with those sparks which, according to the Viola, arise from certain situations judged to their disadvantage by the referee. Mourinho is also involved and gets booked. And so, the purples grow. Until the 86th minute, when Fiorentina equalized with a remake of Roma’s action: Kouamè’s cross from the right, Mandragora’s header and Jovic’s goal in front of goal. For the Serbian it is the thirteenth of the season. Just two minutes later Jovic starts the overtaking action: Terzic crosses deep from the left, Kouamè makes the bank and Ikonè at the far post deflects into the net. Franchi explodes, Fiorentina wins. Viola in eighth place together with Turin (and waiting for Monza), Giallorossi mathematically out of contention for the Champions League placement by moving up the standings. The valid one will remain when passing from the Europa League, on May 31st in Budapest against Sevilla.

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El Shaarawy unlocks it

Roma arrives in Florence with many changes in the official line-up: many young players, many new features to preserve the typical set-up in view of the Europa League final scheduled for May 31st against Sevilla. Fiorentina responds with a more balanced rotation, with some singles returning from the Italian Cup final lost to Inter and some solutions to boost the offensive phase. Before the kick-off, the Viola coach Vincenzo Italiano was awarded: both for his 100 benches with Fiorentina and as Lega Serie A coach of the month in May. Roma unlocked it in the 11th minute, catching the Viola defense unprepared: Belotti from the left lets loose a deep cross at the far post, where Solbakken heads off and makes the bank for El Shaarawy’s central insertion. Touch in front of goal and Rona advantage, with Quarta and Igor missing the mark. The match is channeled on the tracks of low pace and few ideas: Fiorentina tries to sink but finds the Giallorossi all closed, with a low center of gravity, to defend. In the 44th minute El Shaarawy tries again with a blow from distance who calls Cerofolini on the fly for a corner. A few seconds later it is Belotti who worries the Viola goalkeeper, with a cross shot from the right: once again Cerofolini opposes for a corner. And Fiorentina? Some initiatives with Ikonè on the right, some excellent plays by Jovic who drops into midfield but then, in the opposing area, very little to report.

Jovic and Ikonè overturn it in the final

If the pace of the first had been low and certainly not sparkling, here it drops further in the second half. Partly due to the tiredness of two teams who have played so many games this season, partly because the two coaches are starting to think seriously about the Conference and Europa League finals. Other changes, another rotation for both sides. There was time, around the 61st minute, for a long applause reserved for Venuti leaving the field who should have played in the last match at the Franchi: he grew up in the youth sector as a child, before going on loan to gain experience and return on a permanent basis in 2019. Venuti, a Florentine and Viola fan, will leave the club at the end of the season. Little or nothing happens until the race lights up, in the finale. A little too much nervousness, a yellow card also flies to Mourinho. It is the spark that wakes up Fiorentina, which turns everything upside down within two minutes. First in the 86th minute Kouamè’s cross from the right, Mandragora’s header and Jovic’s touch in front of goal. Then it’s the Serbian who starts the overtaking action, in the 88th minute: Terzic from the left sends in a great cross, this time it’s Kouamè who heads the bank and Ikonè, stationed at the far post, deflects into the net. It is the winning goal, Fiorentina reaches Turin in eighth place and closes to Rome the hope of being able to enter the Champions League by passing through the championship.

Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Cerofoli 6.5; Venuti 6.5 (16′ st Dodò 6.5), Igor 6, Fourth 4.5 (1′ st Milenkovic 6), Biraghi 5.5 (1′ st Terzic 6.5); Duncan 5.5 (31′ st Kouamè 7), Mandragora 6.5; Ikonè 7, Barak 6, Saponara 5.5 (16′ st Sottil 6); Jovic 7. Italian coach 6.5.
Rome (3-4-2-1): Svilar 6; Bove 5.5, Smalling 6 (1′ st Mancini 5), Llorente 5.5; Missori 6, Wijnaldum 6 (14′ st Cristante 5.5), Tahirovic 6, Zalewski 6 (35′ st Abraham sv); Solbakken 6.5 (26′ st Ibanez 5.5), El Shaarawy 7 (1’st Celik 6); Belotti 6.5. Coach Mourinho 6.
Referee: Ayroldi 5.5.
Markers: 11′ pt El Shaarawy, 41′ st Jovic, 43′ st Ikonè.
Note: Saponara, Missori, Quarta, Solbakken, Jovic, Svilar, Igor, Mourinho booked.
Spectators: 32,829.