Christian Kouame’s header in off the woodwork cancelled out an Assan Ceesay opener, as Lecce and Fiorentina shared the spoils.
The Viola beat Hearts 5-1 in the Conference League on Thursday, but had lost two on the bounce in Serie A and sat only two points above Lecce going into the Stadio Via del Mare. Sofyan Amrabat was suspended, with Riccardo Sottil and Gaetano Castrovilli injured, while the hosts had Morten Hjulmand sitting out a ban.
Luka Jovic only lasted just over six minutes before picking up an injury and leaving the field.
A goal kick was flicked on for Lameck Banda, who fired straight at Pietro Terracciano, then Kouame sprinted back to intercept Gabriel Strefezza’s pass that would’ve sent Assan Ceesay clear on goal.
Rolando Mandragora stung Wladimiro Falcone’s gloves at the near post, but Ceesay should’ve scored when getting to a Banda cross a little late and glancing the free header wide from six yards.
Fiorentina had the ball in the net on 38 minutes when Falcone only punched Giacomo Bonaventura’s cross, it bounced off Federico Baschirotto and fell kindly for Arthur Cabral’s header from close range, but it was disallowed by VAR due to Bonaventura’s earlier offside.
Instead, Lecce took the lead moments later. Joan Gonzalez robbed Dodo at the corner flag and pulled back from the by-line for Ceesay to get in front of Lucas Martinez-Quarta and tap in from six yards.
Cabral had scored again a few seconds later, but that goal didn’t count either, as the ball had gone out of play before Antonin Barak managed to pull it back.
Fiorentina did equalise at the dawn of the second half, Nico Gonzalez knocking down a long ball, Cabral dinking it up over the top from the edge of the area and Kouame getting there before Baschirotto to head in off the inside of the upright.
It remained wide open, Ceesay turning another header wide from Strefezza’s cross, then Falcone flying for a fantastic save on Martinez-Quarta’s ferocious long-range strike and taking the sting out of Kouame’s half-volley.
Kouame seemed to be everywhere for Fiorentina, as he also sprinted back to prevent a dangerous Banda counter-attack, while Falcone scrambled back to fingertip the Nico Gonzalez lob over the bar.
Antonino Gallo somehow managed to get two yellow cards in as many minutes, the second for a rugby tackle on Jonathan Ikone.
Lecce 1-1 Fiorentina
Ceesay 43 (L), Kouame 48 (F)
Sent off: Gallo 95 (L)