Fiorentina drew 1-1 with Roma at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday evening in Serie A.
Mario Gomez scored for the Viola after 19 minutes, but Adem Ljajic hit back against his former side at the start of the second half to even up matters on the night. The result leaves Roma’s title charge in tatters as they now trail leaders Juventus by seven points.
Fiorentina began the match well and had a half-hearted appeal for a penalty after just five minutes. Gomez tangled with Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis inside the six yard box, however referee Luca Banti was not convinced and gave a free kick against the big German striker.
As the home team began to dominate possession, Daniele De Rossi was forced to clear a Gonzalo Rodriguez header from under his own cross bar with the Roma defence looking decidedly shaky. However, Fiorentina fans did not have long to wait as on 19 minutes Gomez deflected a David Pizarro strike past a stranded De Sanctis to give his side an early lead.
Vincenzo Montella’s men piled on the pressure and Jose Maria Basanta almost doubled the scoreline with a scrambled shot from inside the Roma box, but his effort went harmlessly past De Sanctis’s far post.
A rare Roma corner saw Radja Nainggolan’s header expertly tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu and matters did not improve for Rudi Garcia’s side as Kevin Strootman picked up a knock and was replaced by Miralem Pjanic after 33 minutes.
In first half stoppages, Mathias Fernandez should have put his team a further goal in front, but his close range shot was deflected wide as Fiorentina ended the opening 45 minutes in complete control of the match.
The second half could not have started in more dramatic fashion as after just four minutes, Juan Iturbe broke into the home side’s penalty area and his square pass for Ljajic was steered into the net by the ex-Fiorentina player.
Francesco Totti and Iturbe were next to test Tatarusanu, as a revitalised Roma side took the upper hand in what was fast becoming a game of contrasting halves.
Fernandez tried to haul his team back into the lead but his 62nd minute effort sailed high over the De Sanctis crossbar. Nainggolan mirrored his midfield counterpart by hitting a long range blockbuster of his own far into the stands behind the home side goal.
As the two teams visibly tired, wayward shots from distance were hit at both ends of the pitch, with both sets of players happy to play on the counter attack.
The game looked to be fizzling out into a stalemate but De Sanctis was forced into a smart save from Nenad Tomivic on 89 minutes. Seconds later, Alessandro Florenzi broke the Fiorentina offside trap but smashed his shot wide of the goal.
The match ended 1-1 with Roma’s challenge for the Scudetto now hanging by a very thin thread.
