On 17 December, one of the matches of the 16th round of the Italian football championship took place. Fiorentina (Florence) and Verona (Italy) met.
Italian Championship, 16th round
Fiorentina (Florence) - Verona (Italy) - 1:0 (0:0)
Goals: L. Beltran (79)
Warnings: Pietro Terracciano (2), C. Biraghi (36), Barak (65), Davidovic (67).
Fiorentina secured a victory over Verona in a Serie A match. In a tense match at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, Fiorentina defeated Verona 1-0. The outcome of the game was decided by a single goal, which secured three valuable points for the hosts. In the first half, both teams fought for their advantage. Despite a few good chances, neither team managed to score a goal, which led to a goalless score at halftime. The game started with Fiorentina goalkeeper P. Terracciano receiving a yellow card in the 2nd minute, showing the intensity of the match from the start. Verona had a chance to equalise in the 3rd minute when M. Djuric converted a penalty, but unfortunately missed, depriving his team of the advantage. The match continued to be fiercely fought, and in the 36th minute Fiorentina's K. Biraghi received a yellow card. At the start of the second half, both teams made a number of substitutions to bring fresh energy into their squads. In the 46th minute, Fiorentina made a triple substitution, bringing on M. Lopez, M. Nzola and R. Sottila. Verona also made a substitution, bringing on G. Magnani instead of B. Amione. These tactical changes were to change the game and give their teams momentum.
In the 62nd minute Verona made a second substitution: T. Henry replaced M. Djuric, who had missed a penalty. A third substitution soon followed: in the 63rd minute T. Suslov replaced P. Davidovic. However, despite the changes, Verona failed to find the breakthrough they needed. As the tension on the pitch grew, both teams received yellow cards. A. Barak was sent off in the 65th minute and P. Davidovic was cautioned in the 67th minute. In an attempt to consolidate their advantage, Fiorentina made a fourth substitution on 72 minutes, bringing on L. Martinez Cuarta instead of N. Milenkovic. Verona responded with a substitution in the 75th minute, bringing on D. Lazovic instead of R. Saponara. The breakthrough came for Fiorentina in the 79th minute when L. Beltran struck the opponents' goal to the delight of the spectators. Verona fought back and made a last substitution in the 84th minute, replacing J. Mbula with M. Folorunsho. Fiorentina made their last substitution in the 85th minute, introducing R. Mandragora in place of J. Mina. Despite Verona's late attempts to equalise, Fiorentina maintained their lead and secured the three points. The match showed the determination and skill of both teams, but in the end Fiorentina won. A win in this Serie A match will undoubtedly boost Fiorentina's confidence, while Verona will be forced to reflect on missed opportunities in their quest for success.
The following matches await the rivals in the next round: Monza vs Fiorentina, Verona vs Cagliari.
| Fiorentina | Verona | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Kicks to the goal | 7 |
| 5 | Kicks | 18 |
| 1 | Blocked shots | 4 |
| 5 | Penalty kicks | 14 |
| 0 | Penalty kicks | 4 |
| 10 | Offences | 12 |
| 1 | Corner | 6 |
| 3 | Offsides | 5 |
| 66% | Ball possession | 34% |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 7 | Keeper saves | 2 |
| 466 | Total assists | 229 |
| 363 | Accurate assists | 134 |
| 78% | Accuracy of passes | 59% |