It was a win for Fiorentina, but in the end, the win wasn’t enough. Despite the 5-1 victory for la Viola, the last minute goal from Philippe Mexes, putting Milan ahead of Siena, meant that the rossoneri are the ones that (might) be playing Champions League football next season.
Pescara vs. Fiorentina, final score 1-5: A win, but not enough for la Viola
Despite la Viola smashing Pescara on the final day of Serie A, Fiorentina won’t be in the Champions League next season. A late winner from Milan means the rossoneri will take the final spot.
Adem Ljajic started off the scoring in the 16th minute. It was nothing dramatic, a simple tap in off a ball from Juan Cuadrado. But it was exactly, exactly what Fiorentina needed.
And then it just got better, when Ljaja scored his second. This time it was with the help of Matias Fernandez, with Ljajic latching on the end of his ball and easily bypassing an onrushing Mattia Perin. But even more crucially, just after the little devil scored, Claudio Terzi headed on a cross from Alessandro Rosi to put Siena ahead of AC Milan.
But the Viola weren’t content to leave things in the hands of fate. Before the break, Mati Fernandez put in a third. Less than four minutes after Ljajic’s second, Fernandez gave a lovely little turn and then flicked it on past Perin, who at that point, decided his vacation had already started.
After play resumed, the Viola were determined to pay back Pescara for defeating them in Florence. First up was Stevan Jovetic, again helped out by Fernandez. Was it JoJo trying to up his price for a summer transfer, or was he being a loyal Fiorentina player? Only time will tell.
One thing is certain, though: Fiorentina need to lock down Ljajic. The attacker locked down his hat-trick just as the clock ticked over to the hour mark. His good buddy Jovetic set him up, but by this point, no Fiorentina supporter was even paying attention. All eyes were on Siena, where the robur were still leading Milan.
So no one noticed when Pescara actually managed to score. The consolation goal came from Marco Vittiglio, with his first appearance in Serie A. And probably last, quite frankly.
In the end, though, it was all heartbreak for Viola fans. Milan were awarded a penalty, which Mario Balotelli duly converted. With both teams down to ten men, it was almost too easy for the rossoneri to find the goal ahead goal. It was Philippe Mexes that pricked the balloon of Fiorentina's Champions League dream.
Pescara: Mattia Perin; Luciano Zauri, Uros Cosic, Marco Capuano, Antonio Bocchetti; Giuseppe Rizzo, Eugênio Rômulo, Togni, Federico Di Francesco, Birkir Bjarnason, Mervan Celik; Ferdinando Sforzini
Fiorentina: Emiliano Viviano, Nenad Tomovic, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Marvin Compper; Matias Fernandez, David Pizarro, Borja Valero, Manuel Pasqual, Juan Cuadrado, Stevan Jovetic, Adem Ljajic
Goals: Ljajic 16 (F); Ljajic 24 (F), Fernandez 28 (F); Jovetic 54 (F); Ljajic 59 (F); Vittiglio 76 (P)
See More:
