Andrea Belotti got his first goal in the Viola jersey, as Fiorentina thrashed Frosinone 5-1 to get back on track, including Nico Gonzalez and Lucas Martinez-Quarta on target.
The Viola’s form crumbled in recent weeks with one point from four rounds, plus a heavy Supercoppa Italiana semi-final defeat to Napoli. Luca Ranieri was suspended, while Fabiano Parisi joined Gaetano Castrovilli, Dodo and Christian Kouame on the absentee list. The Canarini missed Kevin Bonifazi, Anthony Oyono, Marvin Cuni, Fares Ghedjemis, Nadir Zortea, Mateus Lusuardi and Riccardo Marchizza.
There was a minute’s silence and the hosts wore black armbands for legend Kurt Hamrin.
Pietro Terracciano had to rush off his line at the third minute to prevent Kaio Jorge making the most of a disastrous Lucas Martinez-Quarta first touch that had sent him clear on goal.
There was a huge triple opportunity for Fiorentina on 12 minutes from a corner, as Lucas Beltran’s header hit the post, the Martinez-Quarta follow-up was cleared off the line before Jonathan Ikone blasted over.
The deadlock was broken with Belotti’s first goal in the Viola jersey, as Ikone burst down the right with a change of pace and pulled back from the by-line for Il Gallo to volley in from six yards.
Moments later, Ikone gathered from Alfred Duncan down the right and cut inside, his curler deflected in off Caleb Okoli for 2-0.
Rolando Mandragora couldn’t keep his finish on target under pressure from Okoli after a flicked Belotti pass with the outside of the boot, but Nico Gonzalez missed a sitter when set up by Ikone only to fire wide from 10 yards.
Stefano Turati palmed a Duncan strike round the near post and on the resulting corner goal-line technology confirmed the Martinez-Quarta header had crossed over when bouncing off the underside of the bar.
Fiorentina added a fourth after the restart, as a poor clearance saw it knocked back down for Nico Gonzalez to volley into the roof of the net using his weaker right foot.
There's no stopping that! 🚀
It's 4⃣ and counting for Fiorentina! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ilPd7NDjPv
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 11, 2024
Frosinone fought back, Terracciano using his leg to deny Kaio Jorge and the Brazilian failing to make the most of a cross to the back post.
The Canarini did get one back when Luca Mazzitelli’s free kick took a deflection off the wall to wrong-foot Terracciano under the crossbar.
Kaio Jorge threatened to break the game wide open with a free header that Terracciano had to parry with difficulty, while Giacomo Bonaventura’s angled drive grazed the far post.
Fiorentina added a fifth with remarkable luck, as while Bonaventura pulled back for M’Bala Nzola to come sliding in and force a Turati save, Mazzitelli’s attempt to clear just ricocheted into the net off Antonin Barak’s head.
Fiorentina 5-1 Frosinone
Belotti 16 (Fi), Ikone 19 (Fi), Martinez-Quarta 43 (Fi), Nico Gonzalez 53 (Fi), Mazzitelli 66 (Fr), Barak 86 (Fi)
Player statistic
| Lucas Martínez Quarta |  |
4' | ||
| Andrea Belotti (Assist: Jonathan Ikoné) |
 |
16' | ||
| Jonathan Ikoné (Assist: Alfred Duncan) |
|
19' | ||
| Lucas Martínez Quarta (Assist: Cristiano Biraghi) |
|
43' |
| 50' | |
Simone Romagnoli | ||
| Nicólas González (Assist: Alfred Duncan) |
|
53' | ||
| 66' | |
Luca Mazzitelli | ||
| Pietro Terracciano | |
69' | ||
| Antonin Barak | |
85' | ||
| M’Bala Nzola | |
90+2' |
Match statistic
