Atalanta 2-1 Fiorentina
Ferreira Pinto 6 (A), Tiribocchi 69 (A), Montolivo 75 (F)
Stadio Azzurri d’Italia
Atalanta are still in the running for Serie A safety after disposing of a visibly tired Fiorentina.
The Orobici needed a victory to maintain any hope of avoiding relegation and had been on fine form recently, unlucky to lose 2-1 at leaders Roma last week. They were missing Javier Chevanton, Edgar Barreto, Giampaolo Bellini, Paolo Zanetti, Jose Leonardo Talamonti, Gyorgy Garics and the suspended Max Pellegrino.
Fiorentina crashed out of the Coppa Italia semi-final midweek and so had to focus on securing a Europa League spot through Serie A. Manuel Pasqual and Marco Donadel joined the suspended Adrian Mutu, but Stevan Jovetic, Massimo Gobbi and Cristiano Zanetti were dropped. Alessandro Gamberini returned from a long lay-off with a shoulder injury.
Atalanta had a very aggressive start and notched up a series of corners, but Mario Alberto Santana’s strike was tipped out from under the bar as well.
The Orobici took the lead six minutes in. Ferreira Pinto rose for a glancing header at the near post from a Jaime Valdes cross down the left channel.
Fiorentina fought back with Marco Marchionni’s free kick palmed away, but the winger wasted a great opportunity when he passed it straight to Andrea Consigli rather than set up Alberto Gilardino on the counter.
Gila got the ball caught under his body and couldn’t squeeze it into the net from close range, then Riccardo Montolivo drilled wide. At the other end, Nicola Amoruso’s run split the Viola defence in two, but Sebastien Frey was equal to the finish.
Gilardino’s twisting header from a Juan Manuel Vargas cross looped over Consigli and thumped the top of the crossbar after 40 minutes.
Moments later Fiorentina again had a great chance, but Felipe’s header was all the way across the face of goal from a yard! Gianluca Comotto had put the cross perfectly from the right and the defender was unmarked.
Atalanta lost goalkeeper Consigli during the half-time break, so he made way for veteran Ferdinando Coppola. Frey controlled a Tiribocchi snapshot and later the same Orobici striker flashed an angled drive across the face of goal to thump the far post.
The home side made it 2-0 with an absolutely magnificent goal! The cross from the right found an acrobatic Tiribocchi volley from nine yards that scissor-kicked the ball in at the near post.
Fiorentina got back into the running 15 minutes from time. Keirrison got to the byline down the left and pulled it back to the edge of the box, where Montolivo’s splendid right-foot volley flew in.
Valdes ran rings round Comotto down the left channel, but Tiribocchi’s shot was charged down at the near post. Fiorentina could’ve drawn level too, but Vargas horribly wasted a great opportunity by volleying off target.
Massimo Gobbi was sent off in stoppages for a second bookable offence.
Atalanta: Consigli (Coppola 46); Capelli, Bianco, Manfredini, Peluso; Ferreira Pinto (De Ascentis 76), Padoin, Guarente, Valdes; Tiribocchi, Amoruso (Doni 67)
Fiorentina: Frey; Comotto, Gamberini, Kroldrup, Felipe (Gobbi 56); Marchionni, Bolatti (Keirrison 56), Montolivo, Vargas; Santana (Zanetti 67), Gilardino
Ref: Romeo
Sent off: Gobbi 92 (F)