by bluenine Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:44 am
Amazing result for Fiorentina, specially when you look at the fact that Prandelli didn't play Mutu, Montolivo, Pazzini, Pasqual, Gamberini, Dainelli, & Potenza, hence he has effectively kept a large part of his team fresh for Udinese. Very similar to the way Mancio does it.
The viola look more and more dangerous every season under Prandelli. I am begining to look at them as serious scudetto contenders, maybe a bit more dangerous than temperamental roma.
Fiorentina 6-1 Elfsborg
Jorgensen 4, 78 (F), Vieri 5 (F), Ishizaki 41 (E), Donadel 62 (F), Kroldrup 65 (F), Di Carmine (F) 87
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Fiorentina's purple patch continues after they demolished Swedish outfit Elfsborg 6-1 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. The Viola came into the clash with a 20-game unbeaten run and were looking to recreate the performance they put in to get a draw against Villarreal at the Mestalla. With Adrian Mutu and Riccardo Montolivo injured, Coach Cesare Prandelli had to shuffle the pack a little. Argentine youngster Pablo Daniel Osvaldo and veteran Christian Vieri formed a rare partnership with Giampaolo Pazzini cooling his heels on the bench. Michele Pazienza was given the nod in the centre at the expense of Fabio Liverani and started next to Marco Donadel.
The confident Viola came flying out of the blocks and were ahead after just four minutes. Jorgensen continued his impressive UEFA Cup form with a magnificent volley after Franco Semioli had sent over an inch-perfect cross. The visitors' game plan was already in shreds and before they could settle it was 2-0 to Fiorentina. The Gigliati stole the ball straight from the restart and Vieri hit a beautiful left-footed strike that left goalkeeper Johan Wiland helpless.
After just five minutes, Prandelli's men were buzzing and they slowed the pace of the game down with the shell-shocked Swedes still looking to launch their first meaningful attack. Jorgensen was in buoyant mood and he blasted a fierce effort over the bar after 20 minutes. Midfielder Mathias Svenson replaced English striker James Keene for Elfsborg with just a quarter of the game played as the ex-Bournemouth man seemed unable to shake off an early knock. Moments later, Vieri nearly made it three. The ex-Inter hero exchanged passes with Osvaldo and hit the side-netting from the edge of the box.
Elfsborg's first effort of the evening came from Stefan Ishizaki whose long-range drive was comfortably blocked by Sebastien Frey. On the half-hour mark there was a tentative shout for an Elfsborg penalty as Jari Ilola went to ground in the Fiorentina box, but there was no obvious contact and the referee waved play on. Osvaldo had the fans on their feet when he beat two men with some trickery on the wing and fed Pazienza, but the former Udinese man's strike was hopelessly wide.
As the break approached, Elfsborg pushed forward looking to claw their way back into the game and they pulled one back through the dangerous Ishizaki. There was some controversy as the Fiorentina players and fans thought Ishizaki was offside when he began his run, but his angled strike into the corner was precise. Fiorentina led 2-1 at the interval, but were happy to hear the whistle as the Swedes rallied and had the better of the closing stages of the first period. The first action of the second half saw Jorgensen try to repeat his early strike, but his shot was a damp squib as it squirmed off the laces.
Pazienza tried to work some magic by releasing Semioli, but the ex-Cheivo man's cross went directly out for a goal kick as the hosts tried to restart the engine. Elfsborg caused caused some Viola hearts to miss a beat when Daniel Alexandersson found Ishizaki at the back post, but Federico Balzaretti was there to block his effort. Spurred into action, Vieri came close to making contact with a Semioli ball before the crucial third goal arrived. And what a goal it was. Donadel launched a missile from 35 yards which burst Wiland's net and prompted sighs of relief around the Artemio Franchi.
Elfsborg looked demoralised and minutes later it was 4-1 as Per Kroldrup rose to meet a Semioli free-kick and end the contest. With 25 minutes still remaining the Viola were out of sight, but that didn't stop Vieri letting rip from 30 yards with a fizzing effort that just cleared the bar. It was all Fiorentina as the visitors longed for the sanctuary of Scandinavia and Zdravko Kuzmanovic thought he had made it 5-1 when his header went inches wide with the 'keeper beaten all ends up.
Minutes later it was 5-1! Jorgensen secured a brace as the inspirational Semioli's ball fell into his path and the Dane poked home from close range. Young striker Samuel Di Carmine replaced Vieri, who recieved a rousing ovation, and he too wrote his name on the score-sheet. The 19-year-old's strike from the right flew past Wiland to make it 6-1 to Fiorentina! It was rough justice for the Swedes who put up a decent fight for an hour, but it was a magnificent night for Prandelli's heroes.
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Fiorentina: Frey; Vanden Borre (Pasqual 70), Kroldrup, Ujfalusi, Balzaretti; Pazienza, Donadel, Semioli, Jorgensen; Osvaldo (Kuzmanovic 63), Vieri (Di Carmine 82)
Last edited by on Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:51 am; edited 1 time in total
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