Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”1″>Fiorentina played the entire second half with 10 men, but still earned an impressive 2-1 victory away to Guingamp.
Fiorentina played the entire second half with 10 men, but still earned an impressive 2-1 victory away to Guingamp.
The Viola were already qualified, but still wanted to secure top spot with a round to spare. Marko Marin got his first start, while Andrea Lazzari, Micah Richards and Badelj were also given a chance to shine amid an injury crisis. French Cup holders Guingamp had won both their home games in the Europa League this season. They lost 3-0 in Florence, but while playing with 10 men for an hour.
Marin, on loan from Chelsea, got off to an extraordinary start. First his shot skimmed the woodwork, then he found the net moments later. Khouma Babacar had started the move and tested goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, then Baissama Sankoh desperately stopped Lazzari from finishing it off, but Alberto Aquilani pulled back for Marin’s inside of the right-foot shot.
Babacar doubled their lead by running on to a smart Juan Manuel Vargas cross to tap in from close range.
Jasmin Kurtic made a decisive defefensive intervention on Claudio Beauvue, but Lazzari also tested Lossl from distance.
Jeremy Pied should’ve got one back for the hosts, but his header was straight at Micah Richards, then Moustapha Diallo nodded into the arms of Ciprian Tatarusanu.
Guingamp slowly started to recover from their nightmare start and Beauvue turned inches over the bar from a Sambou Yatabare cross.
The pressure got to Argentina international defender Jose Maria Basanta, who was sent off on the stroke of half-time for his soft last man foul on Sylvain Marveaux as he was clear on goal. Contact appeared to be minimal. Beauvue stepped up and successfully converted the penalty.
Beauvue could well have completed the comeback in the second half, but blasted well off target after a fine Marveaux through ball. Diallo was also wasteful on a Yatabare cross.
Nenad Tomovic deflected a Kerbrat attempt off target and Beauvue again ballooned off target. Yatabare somehow failed to equalise on 80 minutes, nodding on to the crossbar from point-blank range.
Stefan Savic risked giving away a penalty for a nudge on Ronnie Schwartz and Tatarusanu mistimed his flap at a Yatabare cross, fortunate to see Beauvue only nod wide.
Diallo thought he had finally grabbed the equaliser in stoppages, but was flagged offside when getting on the end of Kerbrat’s assist.
Guingamp 1-2 Fiorentina
Scorers: Marin 6 (F), Babacar 13 (F), Beauvue pen 45 (G)
Guingamp: Lossl; Jacobsen, Kerbrat, Sorbon, Sankoh; Yatabarè, Diallo, Mathis, Pied (Schwartz 78), Beauvue; Marveaux (Giresse 91)
Fiorentina: Tatarusanu; Richards, Tomovic, Basanta; Vargas, Badelj (Alonso 70), Lazzari (Cuadrado 53), Aquilani, Kurtic; Marin (Savic 53); Babacar
Ref: Eskov (RUS)
Sent off: Basanta 44 (F)