Fiorentina are fighting for survival and influencing the Scudetto race – Inter miss out on three points

How is this team fighting relegation? The biggest question mark in Europe’s top five leagues this season hangs over Fiorentina. Paolo Vanoli’s side last night at the Artemio Franchi didn’t look like a drowning team, but rather one that outplayed the league leaders in every segment and kept them within just six points, seven behind Napoli and six behind second-placed Milan. In the end, the point goes to Milan—not because it means much to Inter, but because Fiorentina deserved more – 1:1 (0:1).

The Nerazzurri took the lead practically from their first move of the match through Pio Esposito, but later had to desperately defend against a lively opponent. The hosts could have equalized in the first half, but the goal finally came in the 77th minute through Cher Ndour.

Fiorentina pushed hard until the end but didn’t have the strength for more, which could have backfired in stoppage time. Cristian Chivu’s side, led from the bench tonight by Aleksandar Kolarov, took control in the closing stages and had two great chances through Manuel Akanji and Esposito, but both efforts were denied by the home crowd’s hero, David de Gea.

Inter started the match at the Artemio Franchi in explosive fashion, taking the lead as early as the 40th second when Esposito headed in Barella’s cross. The Nerazzurri dominated the opening phase, and Esposito soon nearly doubled the lead, while Barella had a goal disallowed for a clear offside.

Fiorentina responded midway through the half, took control of the game, and began to threaten seriously through Moise Kean, who came close to equalizing on several occasions, including in the 29th minute when he arrived just late to a ball at the far post.

The hosts kept up the pressure, and Kean even had a goal ruled out for offside in the 39th minute after outmuscling Akanji. Despite Fiorentina’s greater number of shots, Inter went into halftime with a narrow lead, but also with two yellow cards for Carlos Augusto and Dimarco, whose tough tackles stopped dangerous counterattacks from the in-form Fiorentina. This dulled the visitors’ defense, which ultimately failed to hold onto their advantage.

The second half at the Franchi was marked by Fiorentina’s strong initiative, which paid off in the 77th minute. After Barella lost the ball on the edge of the box, Gudmundsson’s shot was parried by Sommer, but Ndour was in the right place to slot it into the net.

Prior to that, the game had been disrupted by several yellow cards for harsh challenges from Ndour, Brescianini, and Barella, while Kolarov tried to refresh Inter’s lineup by introducing Acerbi, Frattesi, and Bonny.

In the closing moments, Fiorentina threw everything forward in search of a complete turnaround but ran out of energy. Harrison came closest in the 82nd minute, his left-footed shot narrowly missing the post, while Gudmundsson soon after wasted another solid chance. Inter were more composed late on, but De Gea matched them, and the score remained 1:1.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 30

Friday

Cagliari - Napoli 0-1 (0-1)

/McTominay 2/

Genoa - Udinese 0-2 (0-0)

/Ekkelenkamp 66, Davis 90+6/

Saturday

Parma - Cremonese 0-2 (0-0)

/Maleh 54, Vandeputte 68/

Milan - Torino 3-2 (1-1)

/Pavlovic 36, Rabiot 54, Fofana 55 - Simeone 44, Vlasic 83 pen/

Juventus - Sassuolo 1-1 (1-0)

/Yildiz 14 - Pinamonti 52/

Sunday

Como - Pisa 5-0 (2-0)

/Diao 7, Douvikas 29, Baturina 48, Paz 75, Perrone 81/

Atalanta - Verona 1-0 (1-0)

/Zappacosta 37/

Bologna - Lazio 0-2 (0-0)

/Taylor 72, 82/

Roma - Lecce 1-0 (0-0)

/Vaz 57/

Fiorentina - Inter 1-1 (0-1)

/Ndour 77 - Esposito 1/