A magnificent Manuel Pasqual free kick gave Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”2″>Fiorentina a 1-1 draw with PAOK, which puts them into the next Europa League round.
Guingamp beat Dinamo Minsk 2-0, so the Italians are mathematically through to the last 32.
A magnificent Manuel Pasqual free kick gave Fiorentina a 1-1 draw with PAOK, which puts them into the next Europa League round.
Guingamp beat Dinamo Minsk 2-0, so the Italians are mathematically through to the last 32.
The Viola were dominating their Europa League group with a 100 per cent record and hadn’t conceded a single goal. They won 1-0 in Greece with a Juan Manuel Vargas goal on October 23 and here gave Mario Gomez his first start of the season, but Giuseppe Rossi and Federico Bernardeschi were ruled out.
The German international went close after six minutes, only scuffing his deflection on a Vargas cross, then a lob was too weak to beat the goalkeeper. However, PAOK also threatened with Facundo Pereyra on the counter.
Gomez’s header skimmed the upright, then Jasmin Kurtic had penalty appeals for a collision with the goalkeeper. Gomez was unlucky on 25 minutes, as he got on the end of a smart Vargas volleyed pass only to turn off target under pressure.
Panagiotis Glykos needed a spectacular save to deny Gomez’s diving header and spilled a Vargas effort. Gomez should’ve scored on the half-hour on a Cuadrado counter, but his header was straight at the goalkeeper.
Gonzalo Rodriguez also tested Glykos’ reflexes with an acrobatic attempt and Manuel Pasqual at full stretch just failed to get on the end of David Pizarro’s assist.
Stefanos Athanasiadis thought he had given PAOK a surprise lead on 55 minutes with his curling finish, but he had already been flagged offside in a very tight decision.
Nenad Tomovic put Glykos into action yet again and Gomez’s shot skimmed the upright, while the German had timid penalty appeals.
PAOK took the lead against the run of play with realistically their first shot on goal. It was a throw-in and the Viola were caught out by an Athanasiadis cross to the back post for Maarten Martens. That was the first goal Fiorentina had conceded in this edition of the Europa League.
Gomez thought he’d equalised, but again Glykos was able to parry with an outstretched foot. It took a magnificent Manuel Pasqual free kick into the top corner to beat Glykos and give Fiorentina the equaliser.
Cuadrado’s screamer was accidentally charged down by Marko Marin, as the hosts poured forward throughout stoppages.
Fiorentina 1-1 PAOK
Scorers: Martens 81 (P), Pasqual 88 (F)
Fiorentina: Tatarusanu; Tomovic (Babacar 86), Basanta, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Pasqual; Kurtic, Pizarro, Lazzari (Marin 58); Cuadrado, Gomez, Vargas (Borja Valero 70)
PAOK: Glykos; Kitsiou, Miguel Vitor, Katsikas, Spyropoulos (Tzavellas 90); Tzandaris, Tziolis; Salpingidis (Martens 71), Golasa, Pereyra (Maduro 46); Athanasiadis
Ref: Delferiere (BEL)