Fiorentina-Ferencvaros, ends 2-2. Barak and Ikoné tie it

The Viola did very badly in the first half, very well in the second half with goals from Barak and – in full injury time – Ikone. The Italian’s substitutions were fundamental in saving the match against Stankovic’s Hungarians

From our correspondent Matteo Dalla Vite

– Florence

In the last championship, 30 April 2023 and coaching Samp, Dejan Stankovic left Franchi with a flaying 5-0. In one evening, by declining the Hungarian, he almost took revenge. Almost. Fiorentina was unrecognizable for much of the match but capable of overcoming the double advantage of an absolutely credible Ferencvaros who came close to the eleventh victory in a row: the goals of Barak and Ikone (assisted by Nico) had an impact on a match in which Viola showed all of itself only in the second half, even coming close to making it 3-2 with Gonzalez towards the sunset. The goals from Varga and Cissé had dug a furrow that on the eve seemed unthinkable: Barak reduced the initial deficit and Ikoné regained his feeling with the goal by making it 2-2 following an action carried out by Parisi, whose entry changed Fiorentina .

beautiful wings

In the pre-match, Italiano suffered a problem: Christensen was the designated goalkeeper but the Danish goalkeeper hurt his left rectus femoris during the warm-up phase. There is therefore Terracciano ahead of Kayode (confirmed on the right), Martinez Quarta, Ranieri and Biraghi, who returns not surprisingly. Maxime Lopez is in front of the defense supported by Mandragora, while in front Beltran leads the attack with Sottil, Bonaventura and Nico Gonzalez behind him, who comes into the match having scored six goals. Ferencvaros coached by Deki Stankovic comes from 10 victories in a row (Dejan has collected 5 of these) and features the two bogeymen Varga (striker) and Abu Fani (attacker). The start is purple: Sottil runs to the left, but the Hungarians sweep after cross to return. Ferencvaros advances with the 4-2-3-1: Abu Fani in front of the defense, Marquinos in the 3+1 system in front who immediately finds the spark after the ball given away by Terracciano (8′), who then makes up for it by saving on his left. Fiorentina’s response was a shot from Bonaventura (high) and the counter-response was a counter-attack by the Hungarians led by Ben Romdhane who was very free to act in every area of ​​the pitch) without success. You go, you play, you always try something: two teams devoted to the search for the best: in the 18th minute Marquinhos fails to deflect into the net – thanks also to Kayode’s deflection in a protective dive – from one meter an exemplary action by Ferencvaros with Varga finishing. Extremely rare and purple thrill. With Deki’s team still moving forward (a non-irresistible strike from Abu Fani in the 21st minute) Fiorentina looks for solutions but has to swallow the external advantage: Zachariassen (another good Stankovic winger together with Marquinhos) goes away from Biraghi, falls but manages Ben Romdhane took the ball and caught the Viola defense on the counterattack by crossing where Vargas threatened Terracciano diagonally. We are at 25′ and Fiorentina have to chase. In the 38th minute Abu Fani asks for a penalty for a tackle with Martinez Quarta but the essence is that Fiorentina is struggling to find ways to do damage: Mandragora gets to the shot (43′) but weak and central. The purple left axis isn’t working at all, including Biraghi and Sottil.

barak and ikoné

In the second half Italiano immediately put Parisi on for Biraghi, evidently out of form. Deki goes ahead with his first 11 and starts attacking again with credible plots like in the first half: Ferencvaros claims a penalty for Ranieri’s obstruction of Varga but the Hungarian striker started in a clear offside position. And in any case it is Deki’s team that controls the match until reaching 0-2: Marquinhos’ corner from the right (dubious corner won by Abu Fani against Kayode: who touches it last?) and Cissé stands out, jumping on Ranieri. The Viola turns out to be very punctureable and very vulnerable. The reaction leads Parisi himself to see the conclusion: saving slide by MMaee and then strike from afar by Martinez Quarta: high. The Italian also throws in Arthur, Kouamé and Barak who in the 21st minute heads Dibusz from a free kick kicked by Parisi, the new players who risk turning the game around. Fiorentina now believes in it, foaming anger and scoring opportunities: Dibusz has to stretch to put a sweet shot from Bonaventura into a corner, while Deki tries to resist. The possible equalizer comes from the left with Kouamé who sees a shot blocked in front of goal by Dibusz, the ball goes to Viola again who puts it to Nico Gonzalez: seventh goal of the season and 2-2? No, everything is strangled by Kouamé’s offside, centimeter stuff. Kouamé tries again (central strike), then the referee (not in great shape) gives 7 minutes of added time: Arthur places it from outside, but just wide; then, in the 48th minute, Parisi brings forward a ball that ends up on the head of Nico Gonzalez, assist for Ikoné and Franchi rejoices for the rediscovered match. We needed to win but, given how things were going, that’s fine too.



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