M’bala Nzola relaunched Nicolás González’s Fiorentina this Thursday in the Conference League semi-final against Club Brujas, as he made it 3-2 when time was up and it left them well ahead of the second leg in a week at the JanBreydel stadium, after two leads previously equaled by their Belgian rival.
Nzola entered in the 88th and, two minutes later, scored the winning goal for the Italian team.
When the Italian offensive became more evident, more constant, more damaging, Bruges’ resistance gave way, outnumbered for more than half an hour due to the expulsion of Onyedika, but with a valuable draw thanks to Thiago, the best footballer by far. of the visiting team, on which many of their comeback options will depend.
In their return to the European semi-finals 32 years later, Bruges still have not beaten an Italian rival throughout their history, already in twelve matches against opponents from that country. Fiorentina is still undefeated in its last twelve European matches, and had to score three goals to defeat an opponent who responded to the first two blows.
The home team scored with its first shot. In the 4th minute. A great goal from Sottil: he controlled the ball on the left wing after a pass from Nico González, through seven touches with his right he focused, opened and outlined himself to unleash a right shot into the corner of the other side, with an extraordinary thread that left everyone stunned, without any explanation for Bruges, who did not even feel such danger. The Italian winger is in doubt for the return. He hurt his shoulder in the second half.
The Belgian team had merit for the 1-1. Behind on the scoreboard so early, at home, with the tie in suspense, they remade themselves moment by moment until the tie. Powerful, fast forward, 22 years old, 1.91 meters tall, 29 goals this season and sold to English Brentford for 33 million euros for the next season, Igor Thiago tested Terracciano… And caused a penalty. On his second occasion.
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His shot was rejected by the goalkeeper. But the attacker did not stop there, who insisted on recovering the ball inside the area, with the impact on Biraghi’s hand in the unequal fight between three Fiorentina defenders and the visiting forward. The referee, Michael Oliver, did not see it live; later alerted by the VAR. He checked it on the monitor. He pointed it out. And Hans Vanaken transformed it, as soon as he visualized the local goalkeeper defeated on the other side.
The draw, however, was more of a boost for Fiorentina. Bruges lost ground. The Italian team attacked him without many chances, but with an already evident presence in the Jackers area in the tournament. Nico González finished high twice with his left foot. A warning that Belotti made clear: he turned inside the area and hit the opponent’s goal with his left foot to make it 2-1, in the 37th minute. Then, Lucas Beltrán headed over the crossbar.
Belotti’s header in the first moments of the second half, repelled by Jackers, further strengthened the feeling of dominance of the local team, closer to the third goal than the tie of their opponent, in which Onyedika was sent off with two yellow cards in three minutes . First, a nudge. Then, a late entry. Maybe both expendable.
A setback for Bruges. It even seemed like a condemnation. In numerical inferiority, with a 2-1 against, in the opposite field… If it weren’t for the fact that he has Thiago in his ranks. It is differential. A long pass was enough for him to come out from midfield, beat his two markers, surpass them by stride and define the 2-2 with a cross volley. Incontestable.
In his team’s worst moment, he emerged not only to support Brugge, but to relaunch it, until Fiorentina’s final offensive. He couldn’t stand her. He had time left. NZola, already in 91, scored 3-2. Deserved for the Italian team.
– Datasheet:
3 – Fiorentina: Terracciano; Dodò, Martinez Quarter, Ranieri, Biraghi; Arthur (Maxime Lopez, d. 70), Bonaventure (Barak, d. 88); Nico Gonzalez, Beltran (70), Sottil (52); Belotti (Nzola, m. 88).
2 – Witches: Jackers; Sabbe, Spileers, Mechele, Meijer; Skoras (Skov Nielsen, m. 66), Odoi, Onyedika, Jutglà (Vetlesen, m. 78); Vanaken; Thiago.
Goals: 1-0, m. 4: Sottil. 1-1, m. 16: Vanaken, penalty. 2-1, m. 37: Belotti. 2-2, m. 63: Thiago. 3-2, m. 91: N’zola.
Referee: Michael Oliver (England). He sent off Oyedika for a double yellow (m. 58 and 61). He gave a yellow card to the locals Nico González (m. 36) and Martínez Quarta (m. 68) and the visitor Spileers (m. 58).
Incidences: first leg of the semi-finals of the Conference League, played at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence in front of around 36,000 spectators.