Kean’s Strike Proves Decisive as Fiorentina Hinders Atalanta’s Scudetto Aspirations

Fiorentina edged closer to the Serie A top six with a thrilling 1-0 win against Atalanta, ending La Dea’s four-match unbeaten streak on the road and possibly dashing their Scudetto hopes.

Both teams displayed commendable effort in the early stages, but an overall lack of finesse in the final third resulted in a rather uneventful opening quarter.

Atalanta appeared more likely to score first, as Ademola Lookman saw his close-range effort deflected away by Luca Ranieri. The first half, however, was shaping up to be surprisingly dull, particularly since both teams were among the top scorers in the first halves of Serie A contests this season.

That all changed just before the break when Moise Kean seized his chance, stealing the ball from a hesitant Isak Hien at the halfway line, racing past the Swede, and finishing with a low shot that slipped past Marco Carnesecchi into the corner.

Kean’s 23rd goal this season for club and country renewed his team’s ambition to extend their lead in the second half, with both Albert Gudmundsson and Nicolo Fagioli coming close for the hosts.

Kean then shot over after a strong run from Dodo, but the pressure on the Fiorentina goal mounted as the visitors made substitutions.

Mario Pasalic’s attempted turn and shot could have easily gone in had it not been for a solid block from Pablo Mari, whilst Charles De Ketelaere missed the target, pulling his shot wide of David de Gea’s left post.

Despite these near misses, the hosts pressed forward in search of a second goal, with defender Ranieri enjoying a remarkable double chance that was thwarted by Carnesecchi on both occasions.

Raffaele Palladino’s team remained remarkably tight at the back in the closing stages, not allowing their opponents—who are the second-highest scorers in Serie A—a single shot on target throughout the entire match.

Fiorentina’s victory marks their fourth win from their last six encounters against Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, which boosts their aspirations for a fourth consecutive UEFA Conference League qualification. Meanwhile, Atalanta will find themselves slipping nine points behind Inter if the league leaders manage to beat Udinese later on Sunday.