Monza defeated Fiorentina 3-2 after mounting an incredible comeback from 2-0 down, handing the Viola their first Serie A loss since February.
Christian Kouame scored his 1st Serie A goal since October when he headed in a corner from nine yards out for Fiorentina.
Armando Izzo successfully blocked an overhead kick by Arthur Cabral, and just a few seconds later, Kouame’s errant shot led to an assist for Riccardo Saponara, who tapped in from six yards while Izzo kept him onside.
Luca Caldirola’s towering header on a corner was parried by Pietro Terracciano, but Monza came back when Gianluca Caprari attempted to shoot from the by-line. Terracciano parried the ball into the back of Biraghi, and the ricochet went in from close range.
In less than 20 minutes, Monza recovered from a 2-0 deficit after another threat from Caprari down the left, this time he went cutting inside to curl wide of the far top corner. making score 2-2.
Dany Mota Carvalho moved forward to prod the long ball past the advancing Terracciano because it was route one and Lucas Martinez-Quarta had allowed Michele Di Gregorio’s long ball to bounce.
In the final seconds of the first half, Monza once more had the ball in the back of the net, but Matteo Pessina controlled the corner with his hand instead of his chest, resulting in the goal being ruled out.
After the break, Andrea Colpani really ought to have made it 3-2, but he botched up the Caprari counterattack by crumpling the finish wide of an empty net.
When Dany Mota Carvalho evaded Dodo and had his foot trodden by Sofyan Amrabat who had rushed in, Monza was assessed a penalty. Pessina maintained his composure and sent the goalkeeper wrong way to complete the comeback..
Di Gregorio did well to stop a deflected chest and volley from Riccardo Sottil, while Gaetano Castrovilli escaped punishment for pushing Fabio Caprari in the box. Luca Caldirola struck the upright with a header from Izzo’s corner kick after Cabral risked an own goal on Patrick Ciurria’s free kick. Monza continued to pose a threat.
FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE ON TWITTER
READ MORE;
Empoli 0-3 Inter: Nerazzurri won the battle with ease
Napoli 1-1 Milan: Rossoneri won the battle for the semifinals
Sassuolo 1-0 Juventus: A narrow win in battle with Bianconeri