Fiorentina 4 : 1 Siena - Four-star Fiorentina

Posted Sunday, December 16, 2012 by PA

Fiorentina moved into the top five of Serie A with a comfortable 4-1 win over local rivals Siena in a one-sided Tuscan derby.

Luca Toni and a David Pizarro penalty put Fiorentina in the driving seat within 20 minutes, with Alberto Aquilani wrapping up victory on the stroke of half time.

Reginaldo pulled a goal back for Siena, but Toni's second restored Fiorentina's three-goal advantage and took them to within two points of second-placed Inter Milan.

Siena ended the game with 10 men as Massimo Paci was shown a second yellow card, but there was no further punishment as Aquilani missed the resulting penalty.

Fiorentina needed just 45 minutes to wrap up victory at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Aquilani's 30-yarder in the fourth minute was a sign of things to come, and little over 10 minutes passed before the Viola were in front.

Manuel Pasqual's cross from the left was misjudged by Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo, leaving Toni to leap high and head the ball in from close range.

Three minutes later, Fiorentina had a penalty when Toni was fouled inside the box.

Although regular penalty-taker Stevan Jovetic was on the field, he instead passed on the duty to Pizarro, who had just returned from Chile following the funeral of his sister.

The midfielder managed to squeeze his penalty under Pegolo before being overcome by emotion.

The third goal came on the stroke of half-time when Jovetic spread play for Romulo, who sent the ball in low to Aquilani, who had a simple tap-in from close range.

Siena responded well in the second half and found a deserved consolation in the 70th minute when Alessandro Rosina put Reginaldo through on goal, and his powerful shot left Neto no chance.

It was no more than a consolation, though, with Toni getting his second and Fiorentina's fourth in the 79th minute, heading in Borgo Valero's cross from point-blank range.

It could have been five when Paci tugged the shirt of Mounir El Hamdaoui inside the penalty area to give away a penalty, but Aquilani stepped up to the spot and sent his shot high over the crossbar.