Fiorentina defeated Hellas Verona 5-3 at the Stadio Bentegodi in Serie A action on Sunday afternoon.
Jacopo Sala opened the scoring for the hosts before Juan Cuadrado, Alberto Aquilani, and Borja Valero made it 3-1.The home side cut into deficit thanks to Luca Toni but Alessandro Matri and Aquilani secured the points for the away side before Juan Iturbe’s late consolation goal.
The Viola didn’t take long before they threatened the Gialloblu’s goal as Josip Ilicic tried his luck from distance in the opening minute but Rafael managed to keep the Slovenian’s attempt out.
The Mastini responded minutes later, this time Luca Toni slotted the ball through to Juan Iturbe who blasted his finish into the hands of Neto.
Fiorentina’s Alberto Aquilani then unleashed a thunderous strike which was kept out by Rafael.
Verona went ahead minutes later through Jacopo Sala who headed home from a rebound after Iturbe’s strike was spilled by Neto.
David Pizarro then tried his luck from distance in an attempt to make it 1-1 but his shot went inches wide of the post.
Cuadrado equalised for the Viola minutes later after latching onto a through pass and smashing home from a really tight angle to make it 1-1.
Aquilani put the Viola ahead in the closing minutes of the opening half after latching onto Manuel Pasqual’s cross and finishing home from a tap-in.
Five minutes into the second half and Verona had the chance to make it 2-2 after a swift counter as Luca Toni tried to set up Iturbe but his pass was intercepted.
The Viola made it 3-1 minutes after the hour mark when Pizarro found Aquilani with a pinpoint cross and the Italian international’s header was kept out by Rafael but the ball fell to the Spaniard who tapped home.
Verona were then reduced to ten men after a last-man tackle on Cuadrado saw Marco Donadel receive his marching orders.
The Scaglieri were then awarded a penalty after Iturbe fell in the penalty area but replays show that the penalty was incorrectly awarded.
Nevertheless, Luca Toni stepped up and coolly converted his penalty to make it 3-2.
Cuadrado could’ve made it 4-2 seconds after but his strike went inches wide of the post.
Fiorentina were awarded a penalty of their own eight minutes from time when Matri’s cross appeared to be handled by Domenico Maietta.
The Italian scored the resulting penalty to take his tally to five goals in this Serie A season.
The Gigliati increased the gap to three goals through Aquilani who scored a goal similar to the one he scored in the first half only this time Rafael spilt Cuadrado’s weak strike before it fell to the Fiorentina midfielder.
Iturbe  whizzed past two Fiorentina defenders and finished well past Neto to make it 5-3, securing the Viola of an important three points in their chase for fourth.
Follow Ahmed Assem on Twitter: @CalcioTown
