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Fiorentina win sends Liverpool crashing out

Fiorentina beat Lyon 1-0 to book their place in the Champions League knock-out stages with a game to spare and send 2005 winners Liverpool crashing out on Wednesday.

Peru winger Juan Vargas scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot as the Italians moved to the head of the table.

They now lead Group E with 12 points from Lyon on 10 and Liverpool on seven, but the English team cannot overtake their French rivals due to an inferior head-to-head record.

For Fiorentina’s French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, whose two fine saves at the death helped the Italians hold onto victory, this was a handy reminder to those back in his homeland of what he is capable of.

“I am French but I’m just so happy about this qualification, we were so motivated today, this is a huge emotion,” he said.

“We’ve grown, we’ve matured, we’ve changed a few players, however at home we’ve always managed to impose our game.

“Away from home all the other teams are very good but at home we’ve played exceptionally.

“It’s true that when I play French teams I do want to prove a point but I don’t think of it as an injustice (that France coach Raymond Domenech continues to overlook him), although it does hurt.”

With Adrian Mutu and Stevan Jovetic both unfit, Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli played Mario Santana behind his lone striker, a move that paid dividends early on.

Lyon’s goal miraculously stayed intact despite a stunning triple chance for Fiorentina in the 11th minute that saw them twice hit the post.

Vargas sent a cross over from the left that Santana took on his chest on the edge of the box with the French team’s centre-backs ball-watching.

He spun and hit a volley that came back off the post with Hugo Lloris well beaten but the France goalkeeper then reacted admirably to make a sprawling save to his right from Alberto Gilardino’s follow-up.

Vargas then took the resulting corner and Gilardino rose above former Juventus defender Jean-Alain Boumsong but his header hit the far post with Lloris again spectating.

It was a rare moment of action in the first period with the next significant passage of play resulting in the goal.

Marco Marchionni skipped behind full-back Aly Cissokho with the former Porto player clumsily bringing him down from behind in the box.

Vargas smashed the penalty high into the net with Lloris diving the wrong way.

Lyon came out with more purpose after the break and Miralem Pjanic had two chances, shooting wide from Bafetimbi Gomis’s lay-off and then firing over from a free-kick.

Around the hour mark, Fiorentina had two good chances of their own as Gilardino shot wide on the turn after he was played into the box and then Santana played Marchionni in only for Cissokho to come to the rescue with a perfectly-timed last ditch challenge.

And on 68 minutes Gilardino had a chance to wrap up victory as Lorenzo De Silvestri’s right-wing cross found him in the middle but his first time shot on the half-volley was off target.

Teenager Pjanic was proving Lyon’s best attacking option and a swerving, dipping free-kick almost flummoxed La Viola goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, who somehow scooped the ball away volleyball style.

By now it was clear that the hosts simply wanted to hold on to what they had and they almost paid for it three minutes from time as Frey had to get down low to beat out Jean II Makoun’s low shot.

Lyon kept pushing and Frey again saved from a fierce Lisandro Lopez strike from 12 yards in stoppage time – the Argentine failing to repeat his last gasp antics against Liverpool three weeks ago.

FLORENCE, Italy (AFP)

Tags: adrian mutu, fiorentina, france coach, french team, french teams, italians, jean alain boumsong, raymond domenech, sebastien frey, stevan jovetic, striker, triple chance, volley, winger

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Sebastien Frey sidelined for Debrecen clash

Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey would be unavailable for the teams Champions’ League Group E match with Hungarian side Debrecen at the Stadio Franchi today.

According to the club’s official website, Frey has still not recovered the sprain to the MCP joint of his index finger that he caught during the weekends 3-1 victory over Catania.

“Scans have ruled out any serious problems, though the persistence of pain prevents the athlete from performing properly. Physiotherapeutic treatment is already underway in order to get him to recover for the next league game.”

Frey is replaced by Serbian net-minder Vlada Avramov for the Debrecen clash, but Prandelli is also without star striker Stevan Jovetic who is still sidelined with a foot injury.

However, Romanian ace Adrian Mutu took part in yesterday’s training session and is expected to be given the green light to line up next to Alberto Gilardino up front.

Fiorentina is fifth in the Serie A and goes into the match against Debreceni following a 3-1 win over Catania. Striker Alberto Gilardino scored his fourth goal of the season and as is approaching his best form.

Anurada Bhat

Tags: adrian mutu, alberto gilardino, avramov, bhat, catania, champions league group, debrecen, fiorentina, foot injury, Goalkeeper, index finger, league game, persistence, prandelli, sebastien frey, sprain, stadio franchi, star striker, stevan jovetic, training session

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By Jove! Jovetic gives Liverpool a hair-raising fright

He looks a bit like Screech from that U.S show “Saved by the Bell”, but there is nothing clumsy about Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic.

With a glorious crop of shaggy hair, the Montenegro striker destroyed Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday with two first-half goals that probably even shocked the Florence faithful.

The 19-year-old was thrown in at the deep-end with Alberto Gilardino suspended but responded in stunning fashion. Can anyone remember Liverpool being so overrun for 45 minutes?

If he wasn’t already, Jovetic will definitely be on the big clubs’ radars now.

The famous win for Fiorentina, fourth in Serie A last year, came at just the right time for the club. Things had been difficult with their president resigning last week while poor Adrian Mutu is still fighting against his enormous fine following his sacking by Chelsea.

It was also a glimmer of hope for the embattled Italian game after two years of flops in the Champions League.

Inter Milan racked up seven Champions League games without a win in the 1-1 draw at Rubin Kazan but they did battle hard after going down to 10 men.

Juventus visit the might of Bayern Munich later while AC Milan and coach Leonardo desperately need a win at home to FC Zurich after a dreadful start to the campaign which owner Silvio Berlusconi has, half-jokingly, labelled a “disaster”.

Could Jovetic’s showing be just the boost they all need?

PHOTO: Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic (R) challenges Yossi Benayoun of Liverpool during their Champions League soccer match at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence September 29, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Source

Tags: ac milan, adrian mutu, alberto gilardino, alessandro bianchi, Bayern, bayern munich, benayoun, champions league soccer, CHELSEA, fc zurich, Florence, Franchi Stadium, glimmer of hope, inter milan, italian game, league games, leonardo, Liverpool, Milan, Montenegro, rubin kazan, saved by the bell, screech, shaggy hair, silvio berlusconi, stevan jovetic, U.S, ZURICH

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Fiorentina oust Sporting on away goals

Fiorentina squeezed into the Champions League group stages on the away goals rule following a 1-1 draw against Sporting Lisbon in Florence on Wednesday.

The first leg in the Portuguese capital last week ended in a 2-2 draw meaning La Viola have qualified for the group stages for the second year in a row.

Sporting had to either win the match or force a high-scoring draw and they came out of the traps fired up.

Yannick Djalo should have given the visitors the lead early on but with only goalkeeper Sebastien Frey to beat he scuffed his shot from 12 yards horribly wide.

Sporting were dominant though and Frey had to make smart saves from both Matias Fernandez and Brazilian-born new Portugal recruit Leidson.

They got the goal their dominance deserved on 35 minutes direct from a free-kick scored by former Everton target Joao Moutinho.

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli made a switch at the break replacing Massimo Gobbi with attacking Montenegro midfielder Stevan Jovetic.

The momentum then shifted completely and following some early pressure Jovetic restored parity, jinking inside one defender before firing low inside the near post.

Alberto Gilardino could have sealed the tie for the Italians but couldn’t direct his close range effort from Juan Vargas’s left wing cross on target.

Sporting piled on some late pressure but Fiorentina held firm.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: alberto gilardino, cesare prandelli, champions league group, close range, dominance, fiorentina, Florence, free kick, frey, Goalkeeper, group stages, italians, joao moutinho, Juan, juan vargas, Lisbon, massimo gobbi, matias fernandez, Montenegro, moutinho, parity, portugal, ROME, sebastien frey, sporting lisbon, stevan jovetic, target, viola

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English referee will help us, says Filipovic

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AFP) – Montenegro coach Zoran Filipovic has hailed the selection of an English referee for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Italy here.

Filipovic said that with Martin Atkinson at the helm, the Italians would be less able to resort to gamesmanship tactics to gain an advantage.

"Luckily there will be an Englishman refereeing," said Filipovic.

"With Atkinson on the pitch we will feel calmer because Italy will do anything to get a positive result, even things such as throwing themselves to the floor to buy time."

Montenegro had been infuriated by Italian tactics in the pair’s clash in Lecce last year when the hosts were holding onto a 2-1 lead.

Their players repeatedly went to ground and stayed there while their team-mates indicated to Montenegro players to kick the ball out of play so the player could get medical attention.

This happened many times as Montenegro were counter-attacking and resulted in the visitors accusing the Italians of consistently play-acting.

Filipovic described the Italians as "cunning and simulators" and added: "Italy won’t be helped by an official who is used to a more physical and less stop-start game."

Other than having to deal with the darker antics associated with the Italian game, Filipovic is also confident his team is ready to challenge the world champions, who also lead World Cup qualifying group eight.

"We know everything about Italy and we have a plan to combat them. The most important thing will be our mentality: high motivation but with calm and intelligence," he said.

Midfielder Stevan Jovetic, who plys his club trade in Italy with Fiorentina, said the hosts cannot afford to make mistakes.

"We have to play with calm and concentration for the whole match because against Italy one single mistake can cost you dearly," he said.

Written by: AFP

Tags: antics, concentration, cunning, englishman, filipovic, helm, italian game, italians, Italy, Jovetic, martin atkinson, medical attention, mentality, Montenegro, motivation, referee, refereeing, simulators, stevan jovetic, World Cup, world cup qualifier, world cup qualifying group

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