Twente-Fiorentina 0-0: purple in the Conference League groups

It holds up but does not get stuck, it proposes without fear and in the end it is an attitude that pays off. So much so that, in a boxing way, Fiorentina would probably win on points. This 0-0, however, has the same value, because after the 2-1 of the first leg it marks the return of the Viola in Europe five years after the last time. The comeback at Twente fails, the Grolsch Veste bedlam is not enough. Italian hits the target: qualification for the group stage of the Conference League. A goal made possible by the compactness but above all by the hands of Terracciano, who at the last breath neutralizes Brenet’s header.

the match

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Italian confirms Maleh in the median and leaves Duncan out, surprisingly Nico Gonzalez starts from the bench with the coach still focusing on Sottil; owner the recovered Igor in place of Nastasic in the center of defense. There is also some news with respect to the first leg in Twente, which launches Cerny on the trocar from the first minute, the man who left the qualification speech open with the goal signed at the Franchi, and Hilger in the back department. Jans wanted a bolder approach from his team and he gets it. The departure of the Dutch is very intense, Fiorentina suffer from very high pressure in the initial stages of the challenge, thanks to the atmosphere in Enschede. The public stands out not only with support, but also by disturbing the game with the throwing of glasses from the stands. At 17 ‘the rescue of Cabral is providential, a protagonist in his own area by diverting the well-aimed conclusion of Vlap on the goal line, on which Terracciano would not have arrived. The viola try to scare the opponents on the restart, but the first danger created is directly from a free kick: Sottil tries from distance, the ball is fouled by Van Wolfswinkel in the barrier, Unnestall, however, is reactive and does not let himself be fooled by the change of trajectory (38 ‘). It is still the Fiorentina winger, the most active of him, to keep the rear of Twente in apprehension. He does it in the 41st minute, when he finishes too centrally after a good slalom.

the recovery

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The second half begins along the lines of the first, at a frenzied pace. Sottil’s sharp diagonal from the edge is neutralized by the goalkeeper, on the overturn in front of Igor decisively shields Cerny’s safe shot in the center of the area (52 ‘). Three minutes later, many protests by the Italian about Unnerstall’s intervention on Ikoné launched at the net: his arm is wide but the goalkeeper actually touches the ball with his head. Excellent in this circumstance was referee Petrescu’s failure to call directly in a situation that could have misled him. The match plan begins to develop in the benches. The viola coach wants more order in midfield, in an attempt to defuse Twente with the dribble, so he inserts Mandragora in place of Maleh. Jans on the other hand changes behind the striker sending Rots and Tzolis into the field, who kicks twice at the first balls touched, but Terracciano is careful on both shots. Fiorentina does not want a drop in tension, twenty minutes from the end it is the turn of Jovic and Nico Gonzalez, who take over Sottil and Cabral. The strategy could reward Italian in the 75th minute: the Serbian striker spits on Nico Gonzalez, who in turn rewards the inclusion of Ikoné; face to face with Unnerstall, however, the former Lille is not cold enough. Smoke and objects cause moments of tension between the two benches, with the referee having to stop the game. The Viola have another match point in the 85th minute with Mandragora: Jovic perfectly serves the cut of the midfielder, who gets up in reverse with the ball that stops on the post. The ending is all about suffering, due to numerical inferiority. Four of the seven minutes of injury time are played without Igor, who was sent off for the sum of yellow cards after a severe yellow card for wasting time. Despite everything, Fiorentina wasted another huge opportunity with Jovic and Terracciano’s miracle on Brenet’s header at the last moment is worth Europe.