Hellas Verona 1 : 2 Fiorentina - Fiorentina back on track

Posted Monday, November 24, 2014 by PA

Fiorentina snapped a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 triumph at Hellas Verona on Sunday.

Hellas Verona's Nico Lopez cancelled out Gonzalo Rodriguez's opener in the 39th minute before Juan Guillermo Cuadrado fired home the winner in the 62nd minute.

Fiorentina's second away win of the season has lifted them to 10th in Serie A, two places and two points clear of Hellas.

The Verona outfit have now not won for six games.

The visitors went into the contest without the services of captain Manuel Pasqual, who sustained a muscular injury while on international duty with Italy.

Despite his absence, the Viola got off to a good start and took a 16th-minute lead when Marcos Alonso headed a corner towards the box for Rodriguez to tap in from three yards.

The Viola almost made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark when Mario Gomez's right-footed effort b beat Hellas goalkeeper Rafael but hit the crossbar.

Former Fiorentina striker Luca Toni was unlucky not to pull the hosts level when his half-volley rebounded off the bar with Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto already beaten.

Hellas' efforts paid off before the interval when Toni sent Lopez through on goal and he struck the ball towards the bottom right corner and out of Neto's reach.

Fiorentina restored their lead with the game almost an hour old when Cuadrado was in the right place to pounce on Alonso's cross and score from close range.

The home side had their best chance to equalise again in the 73rd minute but Neto saved a stinging, 30-yard drive from substitute Lazaros Christodoulopoulos.