Fiorentina’s Moise Kean scored an excellent first-half solo goal in a 1-0 home win against title-chasing Atalanta in Serie A on Sunday, dealing another blow to the visitor’s Scudetto hopes.
The Italy striker put Fiorentina up just before the break after a brilliant run and low shot past keeper Marco Carnesecchi that squeezed inside a bottom corner.
Atalanta, whose chances of a first ever Italian top-flight title are fading, ended the game with no efforts on target.
It remains third on 58 points, six off leader Inter Milan which beat it 2-0 before the international break and plays later on Sunday, as do second-placed Napoli.
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Fiorentina is eighth with 51 points.
Both teams started cautiously, with Kean blasting a chance wide for Fiorentina early on, while the visitor saw a decent attempt by striker Ademola Lookman blocked by the home defence.
Mateo Retegui then misfired from the edge of the area as the league’s leading scorer started for Atalanta despite his recent withdrawal from international duty with a thigh strain.
The tie looked destined for a goalless halftime score when Kean made amends for his earlier mistake by giving Fiorentina the lead moments before the interval.
AWAY RUN BROKEN
The forward won the ball near the halfway line and outraced Atalanta defender Isak Hien to beat keeper Carnesecchi.
Fiorentina pushed to increase the advantage after the restart and Nicolo Fagioli tested Carnesecchi with a looping effort from outside the box.
Atalanta had more possession after the break but failed to create chances and assistant manager Tullio Gritti, filling in for coach Gian Piero Gasperini during a one-match ban, decided to make a double change to their front line.
Lookman and Retegui were replaced by striker Daniel Maldini and midfielder Lazar Samardzic after 55 minutes, and Marco Brescianini came on for attacking midfielder Charles De Ketelaere 10 minutes later.
But Fiorentina remained in control of the game and defender Luca Ranieri should have made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute, after he was released into the box with a precise low pass from Lucas Beltran before Carnesecchi easily denied his powerless attempt.
The loss ended Atalanta’s impressive unbeaten away run of seven months in Serie A since an August loss to Inter.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com