Fiorentina Beats Bruges 3-2 in Dramatic Finish, Regrets Missed Opportunities – Full Match Recap

Fiorentina beat Bruges 3-2, in full injury time, but there are regrets for a result that could have been much bigger due to the number of goal actions created during the game and for not taking advantage of the extra one the second time. Ten people were left from Belgium because of the expulsion of Onyedika. Unfortunately, the Viola then paid a high price for some mistakes in the defensive phase. Now the Viola will compete to reach the final in Athens next week in Belgium.

The Italian chooses a 4-2-3-1 for his Fiorentina, with a defensive focus on the central duo of Quarta-Ranieri, Arthur and Bonaventura in midfield, and in a front-wheel drive attack with Gonzalez, Sottil , Beltran and Belotti. Ready to go and Brugge are immediately dangerous with a shot from outside the area by Thiago. In the 5th minute, Fiorentina took the lead and Gonzalez changed the field for Sottil who caught the ball, going from the intersection of the lines of the penalty area and firing a shot that went into the corner on the side left keeper Jackers. . Franchi explodes with joy. A goal that charges the Viola even more and in the 9th minute they come close to doubling the lead with a quick action between Beltran-Sottil-Biraghi who returns from inside the area to the center for Gonzalez to shoots with a sure shot but the ball ends up high above the crossbar. Bruges, after a ‘passive’ start, began to get a few meters of action and in the 13th minute they equalized: the Fiorentina defense forgot to find Thiago, face to face with Terracciano, the goalkeeper’s save. On the rebound a melee ensues where Biraghi’s arm touches the ball, at first referee Oliver allowed the game to continue but then called back by the VAR he changed the decision by ordering the penalty kick and then converted by Vanaken. An attraction that Fiorentina ‘prosecutes’, in terms of intensity and ideas. In the 25th minute another scoring ball fell to Gonzalez, inside the Bruges area, but his diagonal shot ended up high over the crossbar.

Fiorentina believe in it, they have regained meters and are becoming more dangerous every time they enter the opponent’s half of the pitch. And in the 35th minute Fiorentina deserved the lead again: a long action by the Viola in front of the Bruges defense with Bonaventura looking for the goal from a central position with a strong and powerful shot from outside the area by Jackers clears the ball quickly, the ball ends up at the feet of Belotti who stops, turns and shoots, finding the winning corner to the right of the goalkeeper who is face Fiorentina comes close to making it three in the 42nd minute: Sottil’s cross inside the area is headed by Beltran, the ball goes straight over the crossbar. The second half begins as the first forty-five minutes of play ended, with Fiorentina on the attack: a cross from the right by Belotti, who cannot find the right size to serve to Bonaventura.

In the 50th minute another scoring opportunity for Viola Italiano: after a free kick (hit Sottil hard on the right shoulder) Belotti comes close to scoring a double but Jackers denies ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ A minute later Italiano has to replace Kouame who is injured Sottil. In the 60th minute, Brugge, who had come close to equalizing through Thiago a minute earlier, were left with ten men as Onyedika was sent off after bringing down Beltran with a foul from behind, second card yellow and thus eliminated. An extra that should have put an even bigger burden on Fiorentina, instead Brugge found the equalizer in the 63rd minute with Thiago receiving the ball inside his half of the field and go over Ranieri, who was once in the area with a great diagonal shot he beat Terracciano. Italian (70′) plays the cards Maxime Lopez and Ikone for Art and Beltran. The round of substitutes also starts in Brugge, Hayen first puts in Nielsen for Skoras and in the 79th minute Vetlesen for Jutgia. In the last minutes, Fiorentina was firmly looking for the winning goal: in the 80th minute Ikone was in the middle and kicking with his left foot, Jackers made a good save to avoid the goal. A minute later Belotti also tries to go from close range but the ball goes just wide of the far post. In Fiorentina, three minutes from the end, it is Barak’s turn for Bonaventura and Nzola for Belotti. And Fiorentina’s last effort was rewarded with a goal from Nzola (91′) who first hit the post inside the Bruges area and then left-footed a shot on the rebound.

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