A very unlucky Fiorentina fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2, but were beaten at the death by PAOK at the Stadio Franchi.
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A very unlucky Fiorentina fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2, but were beaten at the death by PAOK at the Stadio Franchi.
Follow the build-up and action from all today’s Europa League games on the LIVEBLOG.
The Viola needed just one point to be sure of qualification after three victories and a goalless draw in Salonika. Paulo Sousa had a full squad to choose from and handed the reins of the attack to Khouma Babacar and Federico Bernardeschi. PAOK were missing Facundo Pereyra and suspended striker Stefanos Athanasiadis. They had started the group well with four points from two games, but then lost home and away to Qarabag.
Sebastian Cristoforo almost made the most of a defensive error with his cheeky back-heel from the by-line, but moments later PAOK were gifted the opening goal.
Luca Lezzerini got a rare start and he first only beat away a Djalma Campos effort, then allowed the seemingly simple Yevhen Shakhov follow-up to squirm under his body.
It was almost 2-0 moments later, as the Viola were caught napping again and Garry Rodrigues smashed a shot against the upright.
The hosts were so sluggish and Rodrigues shook off a half-hearted challenge to run from the centre-circle, stinging Lezzerini’s gloves.
However, Federico Bernardeschi was extremely unlucky not to equalise on 21 minutes. His left-foot curler bounced off the underside of the bar, hit the line and the inside of the upright before going out.
Moments later Cristoforo’s strike from 12 yards also hit the underside of the bar and bounced off the line, possibly over it, but there is no goal-line technology in the Europa League.
Milan Badelj prodded wide under pressure from the goalkeeper after a Babacar back-heel flick, but just as they were dominating, PAOK struck on the counter again.
Koulouris rolled across for Djalma Campos to blast into the roof of the net relatively undisturbed from 12 yards.
Fiorentina finally did get the ball in the net with a Bernardeschi left-foot strike from the edge of the box, which slipped under the goalkeeper’s hand in the wet conditions.
Babacar and Matias Vecino drilled wide, then a ball was flashed across the face of goal with Babacar inches away from getting the tap-in.
Babacar did complete the comeback straight after the restart, a wonderful first touch with his left foot controlling a chipped pass, then thumping in the finish from eight yards with his right.
Fiorentina were almost caught out at the back again, as Lezzerini was in no man’s land and Rodrigues given the chance to fire at an empty net from 10 yards, but Nenad Tomovic was in the right place for a goal-line clearance.
Lezzerini repeatedly wandered off his line and ran huge risks at the back, but Bernardeschi had penalty appeals waved away and Federico Chiesa forced a tough save with his run and shot from a tight angle.
Carlos Sanchez nodded a corner off target and Babacar’s finish was not as impressive as the turn, while Josip Ilicic’s free kick flashed inches past the far post.
However, with practically the last kick of the game, Rodrigues gave PAOK the victory with a magnificent solo effort. He flew down the left, turned two defenders inside out and smashed a finish into the far top corner.
Fiorentina 2-3 PAOK
Shakhov 5 (P), Djalma Campos 26 (P), Bernardeschi 33 (F), Babacar 50 (F), Rodrigues 93 (P)
Fiorentina: Lezzerini; Tomovic, Astori, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Milic (Chiesa 51); Cristoforo (Sanchez 66), Badelj; Tello (Ilicic 83), Vecino, Bernardeschi; Babacar
PAOK: Brkic; Matos, Leovac, Crespo, Varela; Shakhov (Mystakidis 83), Canas, Cimirot; Djalma Campos (Pelkas 71), Koulouris (Thiam 61), Rodrigues
Ref: Klossner (SUI)