FLORENCE – It was a game that had everything on matchday 25 of the Serie A TIM season: Fiorentina vs. Inter finished 3-3, with the first goal of the match being scored in the opening minute and the last coming after 101 minutes following a controversial refereeing decision. After this result, Inter remain in third position in the league on 47 points, two ahead of Milan and three in front of Roma.
The start of the match was action-packed to say the least. Not even a minute had passed when a ball through to Chiesa split Inter’s defence, before the ball eventually came off De Vrij and ended in the back of the net after the Italian had looked to square it for Simeone. Inter responded immediately: in the sixth minute, Nainggolan put the ball into the Viola’s penalty area, where Vecino was on hand to beat Fiorentina goalkeeper Lafont from close range. Following a VAR check, the goal was confirmed to be legitimate and the Nerazzurri were back in the match. The game was being played at a high pace as both sides looked to get forward and score once more. At the half-hour mark, Fiorentina almost regained the lead, but Gerson fired wide when in space on the edge of the penalty area. In the 35th minute, Brozovic’s free kick had to be tipped over by Lafont. The resulting corner taken by Politano caused havoc in the home side’s box, but no Inter player was able to find the back of the net. In the 40th minute, the Nerazzurri took the lead for the first time: it was all Politano’s own work as he curled in a splendid left-footed effort that left Lafont with no chance. Just before half-time, Inter came close to getting a third: Lautaro found Perisic deep in the Viola’s half following a great bit of play, but the Croatian could only fire over with his left foot. The teams then went into the break with Inter 2-1 ahead.
A crucial moment of the match came just after the interval as the referee awarded Inter a penalty after consulting VAR and deeming Gerson to have handled the ball in the area. Perisic duly stepped up to take the spot-kick, firing the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-1.With renewed confidence, Spalletti’s side continued pressing and in the 55th minute Perisic just missed out on a cross from Lautaro. Five minutes later Biraghi thought he’d pulled one back for Fiorentina, although it was correctly ruled out for a foul on D’Ambrosio from Muriel. Spalletti soon brought on some fresh legs, with Asamoah replacing Dalbert. However, the Viola did soon find a second, with Muriel fizzing in a spectacular long-range free-kick in the 74th minute. There was an opportunity for Inter to immediately respond, although Vecino’s header was kept out by Lafont. Candreva replaced Politano three minutes later. As the game entered its nervy latter stages, Chiesa went extremely close with a cross-cum-shot in the 85th minute. Borja Valero was soon brought on to replace Nainggolan. Incredibly, there was seven minutes of injury time added on at the end, during which the game’s ultimate and decisive moment occurred. After consulting VAR for a lengthy period, the referee awarded Fiorentina a penalty kick for a handball by D’Ambrosio. Veretout stepped up to take it in the 101st minute, sending Handanovic the wrong way to make it 3-3.
There will be undeniable bitterness after missing out on all three points in such cruel fashion, although we must now turn our attention to Friday’s match against Cagliari in Sardinia.
#ForzaInter, forever and always!
FIORENTINA 3-3 INTER
Goalscorers: 1' De Vrij (own goal) (F), 6' Vecino (I), 40' Politano (I), 52' pen. Perisic (I), 74' Muriel (F), 101' pen. Veretout (F)
FIORENTINA: 1 Lafont; 2 Laurini (79' 14 Dabo), 5 Ceccherini, 31 Vitor Hugo, 3 Biraghi; 24 Benassi (58' 29 Muriel), 26 E. Fernandes, 17 Veretout; 25 Chiesa, 9 Simeone (58' 10 Pjaca), 8 Gerson
Substitutes: 23 Terracciano, 33 Branocolini, 4 Milenkovic, 6 Norgaard, 16 Hancko, 27 Graiciar
Coach: Stefano Pioli
INTER: 1 Handanovic; 33 D'Ambrosio, 6 De Vrij, 37 Skriniar, 29 Dalbert (62' 18 Asamoah); 8 Vecino, 77 Brozovic; 16 Politano (77' 87 Candreva), 14 Nainggolan (89' 20 Borja Valero), 44 Perisic; 10 Lautaro
Substitutes: 27 Padelli, 5 Gagliardini, 13 Ranocchia, 15 Joao Mario, 21 Cedric, 23 Miranda
Coach: Luciano Spalletti
Bookings: Nainggolan (I), Skriniar (I), Politano (I), Lafont (F), Brozovic (I), Dabo (F)
Added time: 3' + 13'
Referee: Abisso
Assistants: Passeri, Mondin
Fourth official: Pasqua
VAR officials: Fabbri, Alassio
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