After a losing to Juventus the previous week, Bologna manager Davide Ballardini made four changes to his side, bringing in Cesare Natali, Rene Krhin, Panagiotis Kone and Robert Acquafresca for Fredrik Sørensen, Ibson, Erik Friberg and Jonathan Cristaldo. Vincenzo Montella reacted to his side's loss at Roma by making three changes, Stefan Savić, the suspended Manuel Pasqual and Ryder Matos replaced by Modibo Diakité, Juan Vargas and Joaquín.
Bologna vs. Fiorentina, Final Score 0-3: Cuadrado pushes Bologna closer to the trap door
Two goals from Juan Cuadrado sunk Bologna at the Renato Dall’ara as Fiorentina strengthened their grip on fourth place whilst pushing Bologna closer to the brink of relegation.
More from our team sites
More from our team sites
After a slow opening ten minutes, it was Bologna who had the first real opportunity, Rene Krhin directing a powerful header from Panagiotis Kone's free kick but Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto was on his toes and palmed the ball over.
It wasn't long before Fiorentina carved out an opportunity of their own, as three minutes later Borja Valero floated a magnificent ball over the top of the Bologna defence for Josip Iličić, who flicked it on only for Gianluca Curci to make the save right on the goalline.
Indeed, the match began to open up for both sides as Bologna went straight down the other end, Gyorgy Garics finding Robert Acquafresca in the box who dribbled around Neto but he took the ball too far wide and couldn’t hit the target.
Despite their bright start, that was about the last Bologna would see of the Fiorentina goal as La Viola began to take control of the match, first Borja Valero skipped inside from the left hand side and curled an effort from 18 yards that Curci had to be alert to palm round the post, then two minutes later, Fiorentina were ahead. Joaquín made it to the bye-line on the right-hand side and pulled back for Juan Cuadrado, who despite being surrounded by five Bologna shirts, managed to get to the ball and finish into the far corner.
Bologna were left with a mountain to climb as nine minutes later, they were two down. Josip Iličić unleashed a speculative effort from 20 yards but the ball looped up off a defender and left Curci with no chance, meaning Fiorentina went in at half time with a two goal lead.
After the break, Fiorentina were relatively comfortable in their lead and it was they who threatened more, Juan Cuadrado nearly putting the game beyond doubt just before the hour mark, outpacing Archimede Morleo before hitting a venomous effort that Curci saved well.
Bologna seemed resigned to their fate long before the end and it was Cuadrado who would finally get his second, three minutes from time. From a standing start, he powered past Mikael Antonsson before lashing an unstoppable shot past Curci from 25 yards to seal the point and increase Bologna's woes.
Bologna: Curci; Antonsson, Cherubin (Cristaldo 44’), Natali; Garics, Pazienza, Krhin (Friberg 46’), Christodoulopoulos; Morleo (Čech 61’); Kone; Acquafresca
Fiorentina: Neto; Tomović, Rodríguez, Diakité, Vargas; Aquilani, Pizarro, Valero (Ambrosini 60’); Cuadrado, Iličić (Wolski 75’), Joaquín (Ryder Matos 67’)
Goals: Cuadrado 23’, 87’; Iličić 34’.
See More:
