Fiorentina managed to secure a dramatic 1-1 draw away to Vitoria Guimaraes in their UEFA Conference League clash, with both teams advancing from the league phase into the knockout stages.
The result was crucial as both sides entered the match knowing that a win would likely see them finish in second place in the group, with Vitoria still in the running to achieve that despite this being their debut in the competition’s main draw.
The Portuguese team began strongly and nearly took the lead within six minutes, with Gustavo’s bicycle kick narrowly missing, hitting the side netting instead of finding the back of the net.
In the first half, Vitoria dominated, creating several opportunities. Nuno Santos came close, sending a shot just wide from the edge of the box, and moments later, he blasted another effort over the bar after following up on a rebound from Kaio Cesar’s long-range attempt.
Despite their wastefulness, the home side’s fans were relieved when the breakthrough came just after the half-hour mark.
Kaio Cesar powered into the Fiorentina box and delivered a low cross to the far post, where Gustavo was on hand to tap it in and open the scoring.
Raffaele Palladino, the Fiorentina coach, would have been disappointed with his side’s performance in the first half, as they struggled to find the target and failed to pose a serious threat.
The visitors were sluggish at the start of the second half, while Vitoria pressed with intensity. The home side almost doubled their lead within minutes of the restart, but Tiago Silva’s effort from outside the box went wide.
Looking to change things up, Palladino made four substitutions in less than 15 minutes after the break.
One of the new arrivals, Moise Kean, quickly had Fiorentina’s first shot on target, following a pass from Lucas Beltran. However, Vitoria’s goalkeeper, Bruno Varela, was quick off his line to deny the striker.
Vitoria continued to press for a second goal, and Gustavo came close again, his powerful shot from distance being palmed away by Fiorentina’s goalkeeper, Filippo Terracciano.
Just as it seemed that Gustavo’s early goal would be enough for Vitoria to claim second place, Rolando Mandragora struck for Fiorentina in the 87th minute, leveling the scoreline and securing a valuable point for both sides.
Ultimately, the result did not impact the teams’ qualification, as they both finished in the top eight, progressing into the knockout stages of the competition.
