De Gea sends nine-man Fiorentina into Conference League

David De Gea made several big saves both in the match, but above all in the penalty shoot-out, as nine-man Fiorentina squeezed past Puskas Akademia to enter the Conference League.

The draw for the competition proper will be held in Monaco on Friday August 30.

The first leg was a chaotic 3-3 draw, so with the away goals no longer counting for double, it was winner takes all at the Pancho Arena in Felcsut. Dodo, Cristiano Biraghi, Amir Richardson and Moise Kean stepped into the starting XI, but the mood was dire after Serie A stalemates against Parma and Venezia. Although the Viola reached the Conference League Final for two years running, they were under new coach Raffaele Palladino.

A minute’s silence was held before all games for Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was the coach of Fiorentina from 1987-89.

Marin Pongracic was caught napping playing out from the back and received his fourth yellow card in three appearances before another error forced David De Gea into a tricky save on Urho Nissila.

Kean flashed a ball across the six-yard box with nobody ready to tap in, but De Gea needed a stunning reaction save at the back post on what should’ve been a Jakov Pujic tap-in after Sofyan Amrabat and Pongracic howlers. On the resulting corner, Pujic had a shot charged down, but not with an arm.

Dodo attempted a bizarre back-heel flick when defending at his own by-line, which was very nearly disastrous for Fiorentina.

Things did not improve after the restart, as Wojciech Golla’s looping header on a Nissila free kick clipped the frame of the goal.

Moments later, a combination of De Gea and the underside of the crossbar managed to prevent Jakub Plsek from putting the hosts in front from point-blank range.

Christian Kouame came on and immediately fired straight at the goalkeeper from outside the area, but it was the spark they neded.

Kean controlled the ball with his back to goal, turned Golla, took two other defenders on and drilled low into the near bottom corner from the edge of the box with his right foot. It was against the overall run of play, but a badly needed moment of quality for the Tuscans.

Dodo’s blushes were saved after getting it all wrong six yards from goal, as he was offside on the Andrea Colpani and Kean counter-attack.

There were more Hungarian penalty appeals in stoppages, but the double ricochet took it onto Richardson’s arm.

There was a penalty awarded moments later for a Luca Ranieri shirt tug on Lamin Colley, which was also his second yellow card. Zsolt Nagy stepped up and sent De Gea the wrong way to force extra time against 10 men.

It was nine men just seven minutes in, as Pietro Comuzzo rather harshly received a second yellow card for a shirt tug on Colley.

De Gea parried the Artem Favorov free kick and pushed a Nagy scorcher round the near post in the same move, while Cristiano Biraghi’s free kick was just over and the Colpani volley scuffed into the arms of the goalkeeper.

Gyorgy Komaromi’s glancing header skimmed the far post with De Gea beaten and nine-man Fiorentina held on for a penalty shoot-out.

De Gea made the save on captain Roland Szolnoki with one hand and Biraghi converted the decisive kick to send Fiorentina through.

Puskas Akademia 1-1 Fiorentina aet (4-4 agg, 4-5 on pens)

Kean 59 (F), Zs. Nagy pen 90+7 (P)

Penalties: Komaromi (P, goal), Mandragora (F, goal), Favorov (P, goal), Kouame (F, goal), Golla (P, goal), Colpani (F, goal), Szolnoki (P, saved), Richardson (F, goal), Sz. Nagy (P, goal), Biraghi (F, goal)

Puskas Akademia: Pecsi; Maceiras, Golla, Stronati, Zs. Nagy; Plsek (Szolnoki 79), Favorov, Nissila; Soisalo (Vekony 88), Pujic (Colley 67), Levi (Komaromi 67)

Fiorentina: De Gea; Martinez Quarta (Parisi 71), Pongracic (Comuzzo 54), Ranieri; Dodò (Kayode 83), Amrabat, Richardson, Biraghi; Ikone (Colpani 54), Sottil (Kouame 54); Kean (Mandragora 91)

Ref: Nobre (POR)

Sent off: Ranieri 90+4 (F), Comuzzo 97 (F)