Fiorentina’s excellent pre-season continues after Paulo Sousa’s team beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Having beaten Spanish and European champions Barcelona last time out, the Viola tonight added the scalp of the English League winners thanks to Gonzalo Rodriguez’s 34th minute strike.
Nenad Tomovic, Rodriguez and Facundo Roncaglia lined-up in a three-man defence for the Viola, while Ante Rebic and Khouma Babacar started up front.
Fiorentina’s excellent pre-season continues after Paulo Sousa’s team beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Having beaten Spanish and European champions Barcelona last time out, the Viola tonight added the scalp of the English League winners thanks to Gonzalo Rodriguez’s 34th minute strike.
Nenad Tomovic, Rodriguez and Facundo Roncaglia lined-up in a three-man defence for the Viola, while Ante Rebic and Khouma Babacar started up front.
Following a relatively tame opening, the match came to life when Uruguayan midfielder Matias Vecino thundered a 25-yard strike against Asmir Begovic’s crossbar.
It was the closest either side had come to taking the lead, but barely a minute later Sousa’s team got their goal.
Begovic saved Matias Fernandez’s initial effort but could only divert the ball into the path of centre-back Rodriguez, who prodded home from close range. The goal proved a reward for a first half performance in which the Florence outfit enjoyed the lion's share of possession.
Both teams rang the changes in the second half, with the Viola forced to defend in numbers but remaining a threat on the counter.
Blues centre-back Gary Cahill powered a header towards goal, but Fiorentina goalkeeper Sepe saved easily.
At the other end, Ante Rebic forced an excellent save from Begovic following an excellent breakaway move by the visitors.
Cahill headed straight at Sepe again and Loic Remy fired wide as Jose Mourinho’s team failed to muster an equaliser, leaving the Viola to reflect on another job very well done.
Chelsea 0 – 1 Fiorentina
Rodriguez 34 (F)
Chelsea: Begovic; Cuadrado (Willian 58), Zouma, Terry (Cahill 46), Aina (Ivanovic 46); Mikel (Matic 46), Loftus-Cheek (Hazard 58); Moses (Ramires 54), Oscar (Fabregas 58), Traore (Azpilicueta 46); Falcao (Remy 58)
Fiorentina: Sepe; Tomovic (Pasqual 59), Rodriguez (Hegazi 59), Gilberto (Joaquin 60); Roncaglia (Valero 73), Fernandez (Ilicic 60), Vecino (Badelj 73), Mario Suarez (Bernardeschi 74), Marcos Alonso; Babacar (Rossi 46), Rebic (Bagadur 74)