Positive approach

With the Serie A side having to score to stay in the tournament after a 1-1 first-leg draw, they started in an adventurous 4-3-3 formation. This duly paid dividends when Mutu hammered in an unstoppable long-range free-kick seven minutes before half-time. Eight minutes into the second half the Romanian international registered his sixth goal of this UEFA Cup campaign to end any lingering hopes PSV had of mounting a comeback. Sébastien Frey saving Timmy Simons’ penalty on 80 minutes summed up what was a frustrating night for Sef Vergoossen’s men.

Marvellous Mutu
On 38 minutes the Viola finally forced the breakthrough. Fabio Liverani rolled a free-kick to Mutu who drilled a marvellous swerving strike into Gomes’s top right-hand corner from 20 metres. PSV looked shell-shocked and, at the break, centre-forward Danko Lazovi? was brought on for the subdued Otman Bakkal. If that was the cue for a second goal, it came at the wrong end for Vergoossen as Fiorentina soon doubled their advantage.

Second goal
Gomes did well to keep out an attempt from Giampaolo Pazzini, who had broken clear, only for Mutu to calmly stroke in the rebound with his left foot from just outside the box, leaving PSV needing to score twice. Claudio Prandelli’s men nearly added an instant third but Gomes tipped Montolivo’s effort around the post. Minutes later Lazovi? missed from close range and Gomes also had a miraculous escape when he was caught out by a lob from Marco Donadel but tipped the ball on to the crossbar and then, lying on his back, gathered before Mutu could tap in for his hat-trick.

Fiorentina will face Rangers FC.

Posted on April 12th, 2008 by Dan
Filed under: Fiorentina