Salernitana can see a miraculous escape from relegation after a third consecutive victory, beating Fiorentina with Milan Djuric and Federico Bonazzoli goals.
Back-to-back victories took Davide Nicola’s men off the foot of the table with a game still in hand, so enthusiasm was sky high at the Stadio Arechi amid dreams of a miracle escape. Ivan Radovanovic joined the injury list, but Pasquale Mazzocchi and Milan Djuric returned from suspension. The Viola were coming off a 2-0 Coppa Italia semi-final defeat to Juventus midweek, with Gaetano Castrovilli and Lucas Torreira injured.
Once kick-off finally arrived after a five-minute delay to clear up confetti thrown by the 20,000-strong crowd, Simone Verdi hit the side-netting following a give-and-go with Djuric.
Verdi then saw his long-range strike fingertipped acrobatically over the bar and another attempt deflected over by Igor after a Djuric dummy.
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On the resulting corner, Salernitana struck with Djuric getting in front of Igor for a trademark header from seven yards.
Fiorentina finally woke up, Arthur Cabral and Nico Gonzalez unable to nod in the Cristiano Biraghi crosses, while Djuric was inches wide from another corner.
Pietro Terracciano palmed a cross off the head of Djuric and Nadir Zortea fired just wide too, while Luigi Sepe smothered a Cabral header.
Franck Ribery and Riccardo Saponara came off the bench at half-time, but Nico Gonzalez horribly mis-kicked the volley on Alvaro Odriozola’s cross from the penalty spot.
Odriozola put in another fine cross moments later and this time it paid off, as Saponara controlled with a great first touch and swept the finish through Mazzocchi’s legs.
Emil Bohinen had the ball in the net for Salernitana, but had wandered offside on the Ederson through ball.
The hosts did restore their lead when Igor was caught napping on a Ruggeri cross from the left, Federico Bonazzoli snuck up behind him and poked it in from seven yards.
Fiorentina had a chance in stoppages with Odriozola’s cross-shot going just past both Krzysztof Piatek and the far post, prompting Nicola to fling his shoe in frustration on the touchline.
Salernitana 2-1 Fiorentina
Djuric 9 (S), Saponara 64 (F), Bonazzoli 79 (S)
If Nicola keeps them up, he really is to be heralded across Europe. To take 2 teams written off – Crotone and Salernitana – and keep them up is impressive. It’s easy to motivate talented players that are accustomed to winning, which is far from the case here.
Salernitana on the brink of the impossible.
Who would have given them a hope in hell of 9 points from 9 a few weeks ago?