Fiorentina 1 : 0 Genoa - Viola ease pressure on Mihajlovic

Posted Sunday, October 30, 2011 by PA

Fiorentina provided some relief to coach Sinisa Mihajlovic with a 1-0 win over Genoa at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Andrea Lazzari's goal just before half-time was enough to earn the Viola all three points and ease some of the pressure on Mihajlovic following the team's poor recent run.

The Serbian coach needed a good performance from his side, and his players did not let him down as they deservedly beat a negative Genoa.

Riccardo Montolivo was the first to try and beat his former team-mate Sebastien Frey, who moved from Fiorentina to Genoa in the summer, with a shot in the fourth minute which the French goalkeeper saved comfortably.

The Viola spent much of the first period in Genoa territory, but this seemed to suit the visitors too as they defended in numbers.

They waited patiently for the chance to break and got it after half an hour when Rodrigo Palacio missed the chance to put them in front.

Fiorentina then took a deserved lead in the 41st minute with Lazzari supplying the finish to an excellent team move of one-touch passing, culminating in Stevan Jovetic playing the ball wide to Manuel Pasqual, whose first-time cross was side-footed in.

Genoa were forced to change their tactics in the second half as they could no longer sit back and wait.

Palacio would have had a good chance to level in the 70th minute had he controlled the ball better inside the penalty area.

Alessandro Gamberini will wonder how he did not double Fiorentina's advantage in the 78th minute as he popped up at the far post and struck the ball against the underside of the crossbar.

The ball cannoned down against the body of Frey, who was lucky to prevent it from crossing the line.

The closest Genoa came to levelling was a Cristobal Jorquera shot in the 88th minute, but it was too little to worry Artur Boruc in the Fiorentina goal.

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