CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Angry Viola lashes out on the Scots, Villarreal keep a 100% record with a late goal

AFC Fiorentina took a huge step towards qualifying for the Conference League knockouts by beating Heart of Midlothian at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. La Viola are still yet to concede a first-half UECL goal after six games, including qualifiers.

A breathless first period started in electric fashion when Stephen Humphrys hit the post inside 30 seconds following a disguised pass from Barry Maguire. Unfortunately, for Robbie Neilson, it was one-way traffic in the other direction from then on out. With six minutes on the clock, Luka Jović nodded in a Cristiano Biraghi cross after a short corner to put the Italian side ahead. Minutes later, Andy Halliday timed a slide tackle to perfection, denying Aleksa Terzić a shot at goal, and Rolando Mandragora struck the post before the floodgates truly opened.

Cristiano Biraghi doubled Fiorentina’s lead 22 minutes in with an exquisitely-placed free-kick for his first goal of the season. Hearts were subsequently picked apart by a team move culminating with Nicolás González sweeping home a third. Antonín Barák then got his name on the scoresheet, finishing off Christian Kouamé’s cut-back to send the hosts into the break four goals to the good.

Presumably sick of Fiorentina’s goal horn and accompanying music, Hearts fans had something to cheer about immediately after the restart, as Humphrys tucked low past Pierluigi Gollini on the counter. The hosts took their foot of the proverbial gas while the Jam Tarts changed approach, altering the complexion of the game, but ultimately the match was over as a contest. With time almost up, Alex Cochrane brought down Riccardo Saponara in the box, leaving González to delicately lift in Fiorentina’s fifth.

A win for Vincenzo Italiano’s side sees them end a run of three games without victory in group-stage competition, widening the gap over Hearts to four points with just two games remaining. That leaves the Scottish side on the periphery of elimination, knowing that defeat against FK Rīgas Futbola Skola next time out would seal their fate.

EUROPA LEAGUE: An important win for the Gunners in Scandinavia, Roma fail to retaliate against Betis

Elsewhere, Villarreal continued their 100% record in the Conference League group stage with a narrow 1-0 win in Austria. Victory sends the Spanish side into the knockout stages of the competition with two games to spare.

Despite being thumped 5-0 when the two sides met in Spain last week, the hosts would have been in a positive mood ahead of kick off following a 2-1 victory over local rivals Rapid Vienna at the weekend. After scoring both of their goals within the opening 20 minutes of Sunday’s derby, there may have been an expectation that another fast start could be in store against Villarreal. Disappointingly, rather than early drama, an attritional affair unfolded in an underwhelming 45 minutes that yielded very few chances for either side. Arnaut Danjuma had a couple of opportunities to give the visitors a halftime lead, but wasteful finishing ensured Christian Früchtl was left untroubled.

After conceding nine goals across their previous two UECL games, a lacklustre first half may have suited the Austrian side, but they knew they needed to offer more in an attacking sense if they were to claim their first win of the group stage. Aleksandar Jukic attempted to produce a moment of magic, but his curling strike from outside the box was comfortably gathered by the experienced Pepe Reina.

Unai Emery was evidently unimpressed with his side’s performance, and as a result, he summoned José Luis Morales and Nicolas Jackson from the bench before the hour mark. Although he had to be patient, Emery’s changes proved to be a masterstroke, when Morales’ neat backheel found Jackson, who swept the ball home to wrap up all three points with an 87th minute winner.

While Villarreal continue their impressive European form, Austria Vienna are left bottom of Group C with only one point to their name following three consecutive UECL defeats.

UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE - GROUP STAGE

Round 4

Thursday

Partizan - Koln 2-0 (1-0)

/Diabate 15, Gomes 52/

Basaksehir - Rigas 3-0 (2-0)

/Turuc 11, Okaka 45, 72/

Fiorentina - Hearts 5-1 (4-0)

/Jovic 6, Biraghi 22, Gonzales 32, 78 pen, Barak 38 - Humphrys 47/

Austria Vienna - Villareal 0-1 (0-0)

/Jackson 87/

Apollon Lim. - AZ Alkmaar 1-0 (1-0)

/Roberge 32/

Djurgarden - Gent 4-2 (3-0)

/Holmberg 21, Wikheim 42, 46, Banda 45+5 - Depoitre 61, Cuyper 73/

Cluj - Slavia Praha 2-0 (1-0)

/Deac 11, Yuri Matias 84/

Slovan B. - Basel 3-3 (1-1)

/Weis 45+2 pen, Kucka 49, Cavric 53 - Males 29 pen, Diouf 65, Zeqiri 72/

22:00: (2.90) FCSB (3.30) Silkeborg (2.65)

22:00: (1.51) West Ham (4.50) Anderlecht (7.75)

22:00: (2.30) Hapoel B.S. (3.40) Lech Poznan (3.45)

22:00: (1.47) Nice (4.50) Slovacko (7.75)

22:00: (3.35) Vaduz (3.50) Dnipro-1 (2.30)

22:00: (5.40) Shamrock (3.70) Molde (1.79)

22:00: (2.95) Ballkani (3.35) Sivasspor (2.47)

22:00: (2.19) Zalgiris (3.20) Pyunik (4.00)

***odds are subject to change***

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