YOUTH TEAM DEFEATED BY THE VIOLA: 1-0 IN FLORENCE

The Rossoneri fail to build from their fantastic victory last weekend against Cesena, after defeat in their away match in Florence. Fiorentina won 1-0, the decisive goal coming at the beginning of the second half through Toci. The Viola continued their path at the top of the table, whereas for the Rossoneri, it is a third defeat of the season. An orderly and compact first half, with few chances conceded to the hosts, and a second half in which the energy and brilliance necessary to find the equaliser waned.

Abate's team are on the rise, especially in the defensive area, which made considerable progress compared to their first outings of the season, gaining awareness and courage as the minutes went on. Another positive was the debut in the Rossoneri rearguard of Jan-Carlo Simic, who came close to scoring in the final minutes. However, the Rossoneri lacked the cutting edge to hurt Fiorentina and avoid the loss. The Rossoneri now face a double Youth League fixture - first the trip to Salzburg and then the home match against Dinamo Zagreb. In between comes the league challenge at the PUMA House of Football against Cagliari, on Saturday 10 September, aiming to return to winning ways.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM FIORENTINA v AC MILAN

MATCH REPORT

Tight defences and intense pressing characterised the start of the match for both teams. In the 18th minute the first chance came for Fiorentina: Capasso accelerated and appeared in front of Nava, who was able to close in low, while Kayode couldn't score on the rebound. Milan responded in the 25th minute: Gala crossed for El Hilali, who put it back in with his left foot, Martinelli tipping over the crossbar. On the following corner it was Coubis who went close to scoring with a deflection at the near post, just wide. Milan had a chance in the final minutes to break the deadlock: in the 45th minute, Omoregbe escaped behind the Viola rearguard and, from the edge of the area, shot with his left foto, again only finding Martinelli. The deadlock went unbroken: 0-0 at half-time.

Fiorentina got off to a better start in the second half and found the lead in the 48th minute: Distefano ran away on the left and served Toci in the middle who, from two yard, beat Nava. The Rossoneri created two chances in the following minutes but had to reckon with Kayode's decisive closures, first with Zeroli served in by El Hilali and then with the newly-subbed Traorè, who was closed down at the moment of the shot. Coubis tried to drag his team-mates on: in the 70th minute the Rossoneri captain's ball was through for El Hilali, his right-footed shot blocked by Martinelli. Milan grew in the final minutes and created several opportunities: in the 81st minute Pluvio's header went over, in the 83rd minute El Hilali missed the target with a free kick from the edge of the box. In the second half Simic's shot was stopped by a Martinelli miracle to deny the Rossoneri an equaliser: it ended 1-0.

COACH ABBOT'S THOUGHTS:

"We paid dearly for an error in the second half. We had a very good match which I hope will give the boys the conviction to build on this. We need to add that extra bit of nastiness to bring home points and wins. Let's move on thinking about the next match.

MATCH DETAILS

FIORENTINA 1-0 AC MILAN

FIORENTINA (4-3-3): Martinelli; Kayode, Krastev (68' Biagetti), Lucchesi, Favasuli; Nardi (76' Vitolo), Amatucci, Falconi (76' Atzeni); Capasso (88' Vigiani), Toci (68' Sene), Distefano. Subs: Bertini, Tognetti; Ievoli, Romani; Bigozzi, Dénes, Gori, Padilla, Presta. Coach: Aquilani. 

AC MILAN (4-3-3): Nava; Bakoune, Coubis, Paloschi (85' Simic), Bozzolan; Foglio (67' Marshage), Eletu, Zeroli (67' Pluvio); Gala (54' Traorè), El Hilali, Omoregbe (54' Cuenca). Subs: Bartoccioni, Pseftis; Bartesaghi, Nsiala; Stalmach; Longhi, Rossi. Coach: Abate.

Referee: Zanotti from Rimini.
Goals: 48' Toci (F).
Booked: 17' Zeroli (M), 37' Lucchesi (F), 90' Marshage (M). 

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