Fiorentina took the initiative throughout and dominated possession, scoring a great Giacomo Bonaventura goal, but were undone by West Ham on a penalty and the offside trap in the Conference League Final.
The Viola had already played and lost the Coppa Italia Final to Inter on May 24 and went into this game without Gaetano Castrovilli and Salvatore Sirigu, but Vincenzo Italiano surprised by picking Luca Ranieri in defence. Gianluca Scamacca was out following knee surgery, though fellow Italy international Emerson Palmieri started.
Declan Rice hit a half-volley just wide from the edge of the box after a long throw-in, because as expected the Viola kept possession for long periods while the Hammers waited to strike on the counter.
Nikola Milenkovic nodded a corner over the bar, but the midfield domination was not leading to many chances. Play had to be halted for a few minutes when Cristiano Biraghi was trying to take a corner and was pelted by numerous objects thrown from the West Ham fans, including several plastic beer glasses and above all a lighter that left the captain bleeding from the back of the head. Only moments earlier, Nico Gonzalez had caught a glass thrown at him and drunk from it.
Fiorentina had a huge chance in first half stoppages, as Christian Kouame’s header from a Nico Gonzalez cross bounced off the base of the far post and Luka Jovic was offside when scoring on the rebound.
Arthur Cabral came on for the restart, though reportedly this was not a tactical decision, rather caused by a collision during that disallowed goal.
Kouame’s finish was straight at Alphonse Areola from distance, but VAR intervened when Biraghi’s fingertips brushed the ball on Jarred Bowen’s chest inside the penalty area. Said Benrahma sent Pietro Terracciano the wrong way to convert the spot-kick.
However, moments later Fiorentina found their breakthrough with a class goal. Nico Gonzalez nodded down the Sofyan Amrabat pass for Bonaventura, who controlled with his left foot, let it bounce and then fired into the far bottom corner with his right.
Rolando Mandragora should’ve scored when firing inches wide after Cabral laid off a Nico Gonzalez pass, while Terracciano was at full stretch to fingertip away a Tomas Soucek header.
Areola smothered the powerful Sofyan Amrabat strike, but West Ham struck with their only real opportunity when ex-Milan midfielder Lucas Paqueta threaded through for Bowen, who sprung the offside trap to beat the on-rushing Terracciano one-on-one.
West Ham win the Conference League and also qualify for the Europa League, whereas the Viola must hope Juventus are excluded by UEFA if they are to get into the Conference League.
Fiorentina 1-2 West Ham
Benrahma pen 63 (W), Bonaventura 67 (F), Bowen 90 (W)
Player statistic
| 31' |  |
Saïd Benrahma |
| 53' | |
Nayef Aguerd | ||
| 62' |  |
Saïd Benrahma | ||
| Rolando Mandragora | |
66' | ||
| Giacomo Bonaventura (Assist: Nico González) |
 |
67' | ||
| Alfred Duncan | |
67' | ||
| Nikola Milenkovic | |
75' | ||
| Sofyan Amrabat | |
85' | ||
| 90' | |
Jarrod Bowen (Assist: Lucas Paquetá) | ||
| 90+7' | |
Jarrod Bowen |
Match statistic
