Khouma Babacar gave Fiorentina victory over Belenenses, sending them into the Europa League Round of 32.
The Viola needed just one point to be sure of qualification, a situation that had been made more complex by losing both home fixtures. Facundo Roncaglia was suspended and Jakub Blaszczykowski injured, but Giuseppe Rossi was given a rare start after expressing his frustration.
Fiorentina dominated possession, but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Rossi had an effort charged down and as the move continued Marcos Alonso drilled wide of the upright.
Khouma Babacar gave Fiorentina victory over Belenenses, sending them into the Europa League Round of 32.
The Viola needed just one point to be sure of qualification, a situation that had been made more complex by losing both home fixtures. Facundo Roncaglia was suspended and Jakub Blaszczykowski injured, but Giuseppe Rossi was given a rare start after expressing his frustration.
Fiorentina dominated possession, but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Rossi had an effort charged down and as the move continued Marcos Alonso drilled wide of the upright.
Khouma Babacar had the best opportunity on 27 minutes when he nodded a corner on to the crossbar from point-blank range at the near post.
Manuel Pasqual pulled back from the by-line for Rossi, who at full stretch turned it wide, then Pepito also turned a defender inside out to fire over from the edge of the box.
For all their possession, Fiorentina almost shot themselves in the foot straight after the restart. Davide Astori’s horrible first touch would’ve scored an own goal if not for the acrobatic save of Luigi Sepe and Andre Sousa turned the rebound on to the side-netting.
The hosts hit the crossbar for the second time, once again from a corner and Marcos Alonso’s header, while the Babacar follow-up was saved.
The breakthrough finally arrived on 67 minutes when Pasqual and Joan Verdu combined to send Babacar clear and he slipped the finish beneath the goalkeeper while Belenenses appealed for an offside flag. Baba kept his calm to control and send the defender the wrong way.
Fiorentina 1-0 Belenenses
Scorers: Babacar 67 (F)
Fiorentina:Sepe; Tomovic, Astori, Alonso; Gilberto (Bernardeschi 57), Verdu, Badelj (Mario Suarez 79), Borja Valero (Vecino 62), Pasqual; Rossi, Babacar
Belenenses:Ventura; Filipe Ferreira, Goncalo Silva, Ricardo Dias, Joao Amorim; Ruben Pinto (Fabio Nunes 79), Joao Afonso, Carlos Martins; Leal, Fabio Sturgeon (Tiago Caeiro 83), Andre Sousa (Kuca 56)
Ref: Bezborodov (RUS)