Fiorentina made it seven wins in a row in all competition, with a little help from Lecce, as this match was decided by an Antonino Gallo own goal.
The Viola were looking for their seventh consecutive victory in all competition, as on Thursday they won 4-1 away to Sivasspor to set up a Conference League quarter-final with Lech Poznan. However, that game ended with a local hooligan running onto the pitch and punching Alessandro Bianco, breaking his nose. Aleksa Terzic and Riccardo Sottil were injured too. Lecce were sliding down the standings after three defeats on the bounce, Kastriot Dermaku and Marin Pongracic long-term absentees.
Riccardo Saponara went on a run from his own half and saw his powerful finish fingertipped over the bar by Wladimiro Falcone, then Antonin Barak nodded a Cristiano Biraghi free kick wide.
Fiorentina broke the deadlock when Saponara went on the counter and whipped in a cross for Nico Gonzalez at the back post, but Antonino Gallo got there first to accidentally put it into his own net.
Barak fired straight at Falcone, but Lecce had a big chance after the restart when Gabriel Strefezza turned between two and floated a ball over the top for the Federico Di Francesco chest and half-volley, forcing a tough save from Pietro Terracciano.
Nico Gonzalez had penalty appeals waved away after a nudge from behind by Hjulmand, while Gallo couldn’t get enough power on his header to really trouble the goalkeeper.
Samuel Umtiti and Assane Ceesay both went for a free kick at the back post and got in each other’s way, while Fiorentina threatened a second in stoppages with a Giacomo Bonaventura rocket that stung Falcone’s gloves and Sofyan Amrabat drilling just wide.
Fiorentina 1-0 Lecce
Gallo og 27 (F)
Player statistic
25' | Alexis Blin | |||
Antonino Gallo | 27' |
Igor | 64' | |||
72' | Youssef Maleh | |||
89' | Samuel Umtiti |