Fiorentina edge Lazio to boost survival hopes
Robin Gosens scored the only goal as Fiorentina secured a vital victory over Lazio at the Stadio Artemio Franchi to move eight points clear of the Serie A relegation zone.
The German wing-back outjumped Manuel Lazzari to head home Jack Harrison’s pinpoint cross in the 28th minute, marking a rare moment of clinical finishing in a game largely dominated by the visitors.
Lazio, who saw their four-match unbeaten run come to an end, were frustrated by a combination of wastefulness and a vintage goalkeeping display from David De Gea. The Spaniard produced six saves, including a spectacular finger-tip stop to deny Mattia Zaccagni in the opening minutes.
The win lifts Paolo Vanoli’s side to 15th in the table, providing much-needed breathing room ahead of their Europa Conference League quarter-final second leg against Crystal Palace.
De Gea stands tall under pressure
For much of the evening, it felt like a matter of when, rather than if, Lazio would break the deadlock. Marco Baroni’s side arrived in Florence in fine form and immediately asserted their authority, with Boulaye Dia and Zaccagni finding pockets of space between the lines.
However, David De Gea proved to be an impenetrable wall. His early save from Zaccagni set the tone, and he followed it up by smothering efforts from Matteo Cancellieri and a late, desperate strike from Pedro.Despite having 58% of the ball and creating 13 chances, the Biancocelesti lacked the final touch to beat the veteran keeper, who continues to prove he remains one of the league’s elite shot-stoppers.
Vanoli’s rotation pays off
Faced with a mounting injury list and the fatigue of a heavy European schedule, Paolo Vanoli took a gamble by rotating his squad. While the Viola lacked their usual fluid attacking rhythm, they displayed a defensive grit that has often been absent this season.The decisive moment was a masterpiece of simplicity. Jack Harrison, currently on loan from Leeds United, found space on the right flank and delivered a hanging cross to the back post. Gosens, arriving with characteristic timing, met the ball with a downward header that left Edoardo Motta with no chance. Fiorentina’s “bend-but-don’t-break” approach saw them through seven minutes of agonizing stoppage time, securing a win that may well guarantee their top-flight status for another year
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Player of the match: David De Gea (Fiorentina)
