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Fiorentina lose pace for their Champions League place
Posted - 10th February 2008
Fiorentina lost valuable points in the race to finish fourth in Serie A, and thus guarantee a starting place in next season's Champions League. The team from Florence drew 2-2, away from home against Atalanta, the team from Bergamo.
Cesare Prandelli's team led the game, but on two occasions allowed Atalanta striker Zlatan Muslimovi? to equalise. A mistake that may well cost them dear, given that AC Milan are breathing down their necks, with a good chance of surpassing them now, desparate to salvage something from what has been, thus far, a disastrous season.
The draw follows on a dissapointing defeat at home to AC Milan, and their knockout of the Coppa Italia by Lazio. A difficult away win would have restored some much-needed morale to Prandelli's team, but it was not to be. Both teams were missing crucial players - Fiorentina's Mutu (injured during an international for his native Romania), and Atalanta's Costinha (Francisco José Rodrigues Costa) in particular. For Fiorentina it was a chance wasted. For Atalanta it was, in many ways, a chance for the team to banish the memory of their recent game with Reggina where they threw away a 2-0 lead to eventually draw 2-2.
The first goal came when Giampaolo Pazzini connected with a cross from Fiorentina's midfielder Ricardo Montolivo, and scored his sixth goal of the season. Coincidentally, both Pazzini and Montolivo started their careers at Atalanta. Prandelli, who for the second year running has won the 'Panchina d'oro' or coach of the year (voted for by all the coaches of Serie A), showed faith with the up and coming striker, preferring him to the old battle-horse Christian Vieri, and was rewarded nicely with this goal. With barely a minute passed, though, Atalanata hit back, catching Fiorentina complacently off-guard as Muslimovic hit home the equaliser.
The teams were equal going into half-time. The second half opened tentatively, with both sides searching for the upper hand. After just fifteen minutes, though, Fiorentina seemed to find that advantage, with a header from former Torino and Chievo right wing Franco Semioli. Having, perhaps, learned their lesson from the swift counter-attack suffered during the first half, Prandelli's team drew close to defend their advantage - an important 3 points well within sight.
It was not to be, though, as after a gruelling second half where Atalanta threw everything they had at a solid Fiorentina defence, Mulsimovic found a space in the 90th minute from a beautiful cross by Tissone.
Full credit to Luigi Del Neri's Atalanta, that played right to the last minute. It was, though, a game ultimately thrown away by Fiorentina not least thanks to their complacency in the first half. To make matters worse for the Tuscan team, it's the second time this season that Atalanta have come from behind to force a draw with them.
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