The match between Fiorentina and Monza at the Franchi ends 2-2. TMW’s match story
Djuric and Maldini, Kean keeps it alive
The great former Palladino is hunting for his first success since coaching Fiorentina against ‘his’ Monza and in the formation he offers some surprises, launching the new arrivals Cataldi and Gosens from the 1st minute and fielding Beltran and Kean together. Before starting, a minute of silence in memory of Sven Goran Eriksson, who (also) left his mark in Florence. Then the match begins and Fiorentina immediately tries to get him on their side, at least in terms of ball possession. A shot on target is enough to see the first goal and this comes in the 19th minute, when Djuric wins a duel in the area with Biraghi and beats Terracciano, taking advantage of the precise support of Pereira from the right wing. And after half an hour, the Brianza team serves up the encore, capitalizing on the second shot on target of the entire match: a great right-footed shot from the edge of the area by Daniel Maldini, the ball in the corner and 0-2. A good ball for the Viola arrives on Kean’s head, but Mari blocks the trajectory and acts as a wall. And shortly after, Monza even flirts with a third goal: Maldini runs away and kicks, Terracciano sends it to the post. Just before injury time, other timid signs from Viola, with a header from Beltran that goes wide. On the corner that follows, Kean’s paw on Ranieri’s pass reopens the match also and above all on an emotional level, score 1-2 at half time.
Viola hopes lost, not for Gosens
The Viola faithful and their coach Palladino are the first to look for a new Fiorentina on their return, but there are no changes compared to the starting eleven. The spirit of the Tuscans, however, seems renewed: after just one minute, Dodo serves up an inviting ball for Kean, who is imprecise with his head. Nesta then tightens the lines of his Monza, to take away lifeblood and ideas from Fiorentina, succeeding for large parts of the first half of the second half. The substitutions also lower the center of gravity of the Brianza team and Fiorentina gradually regains control of the field. A jolt close to the ninetieth minute: Ikoné, who had tested Turati shortly before after a serpentine, shoots and on the rebound from the visiting goalkeeper, Kean pounces with his head, but sees his attempted tap-in saved on the line. Then eight long minutes of injury time, in which Monza barricades itself compactly to defend in the penalty area and to oppose the home team’s attempts towards the goal. And on the fifth turn of the clock in extra time, here is the episode that Fiorentina and Palladino were looking for: precise cross from Adli on a corner, Gosens appears and heads the ball just past the crossbar and Franchi explodes in celebration for the 2-2. There would have been time for something else, but the visitors’ defensive castle holds up to the impact and for both teams another draw in the championship. For Fiorentina it’s three out of three.
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