Fiorentina Narrowly Defeats Struggling Lecce in Ongoing Pursuit of European Football

Fiorentina reinforced their bid for a European seat in Serie A with a narrow 1-0 victory over struggling Lecce, marking the visitors’ 12th defeat in 14 matches against teams in the top half of the table this season.

After suffering three consecutive losses leading up to this fixture, a meeting with a Lecce team they had previously thrashed 6-0 seemed like the ideal remedy for Fiorentina’s recent struggles.

The match started strongly for La Viola, who took the upper hand within the first 10 minutes.

The opening goal came from a well-timed connection between the full-backs, as Dodô delivered a precise cross for Robin Gosens, who expertly directed the ball back across goal into the far corner.

Lecce did not falter after conceding and crafted an opportunity to level through Nikola Krstović, but he could only manage a shot straight at David De Gea from a challenging angle.

Before the half-time whistle, Lecce felt hard done by, believing they should have been up against 10 players for over half the match. Lucas Beltrán, already on a yellow card, lunged into a reckless challenge, yet somehow escaped further punishment despite his earlier caution.

Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino faced significant pressure before this match, anxiously watching from the touchline as Lecce took control in the second half.

Fortunately for him, Lecce ranks as the lowest scoring team in Serie A, and despite mounting attacks early in the second half, they posed little threat in front of goal.

An excellent chance to secure the win arose for the hosts when Balthazar Pierret handled the ball in the box after a header from Gosens.

Yet, in keeping with Fiorentina’s current misfortunes, Beltrán’s penalty hit the post, leaving Lecce feeling somewhat vindicated after the first-half incident.

With his miss from the penalty spot creating a tense finish for Fiorentina, Beltrán came close to redeeming himself five minutes before the end, rattling the crossbar with a fierce strike.

Despite the nervy finale, their slim one-goal lead proved sufficient to yield three crucial points for Palladino’s side, moving them into sixth place ahead of the weekend’s fixtures. Lecce, meanwhile, remains five points clear of the relegation zone.

Check out a summary of the match here