UECL | Fiorentina 2-1 Rakow: Last gasp Viola take slender advantage

Fiorentina have a narrow lead in the Conference League with Rakow after Albert Gudmundsson converted a stoppage-time penalty, as Cher Ndour’s volley replied to Jonatan Braut Brunes.

The Viola scraped through to the Round of 16 after an extraordinary play-off with Jagiellonia, where they won the first leg 3-0 away, lost the second by the same result at home, just managing to get through in extra time, 5-4 on aggregate. That was the start of a slide in form, consisting of one draw in three competitive games, with Moise Kean, Manor Solomon, Luca Lezzerini and Tariq Lamptey injured, plus Marin Pongracic suspended. Rakow won the Polish title in 2023 and finished second in the league phase.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Oliver Christensen made his Europa League debut for this season and immediately made a save at the near post when Fabiano Parisi anticipated Tomasz Pienko, risking an own goal.

Robin Gosens almost scored a stunning strike with his aerial back-heel flick on Jacopo Fazzini’s free kick, forcing Oliwier Zych to fingertip it out from under the crossbar.

A Gosens header was also straight at the goalkeeper and Pietro Comuzzo hit the bar only after the corner had already gone out of play.

Fazzini had a huge opportunity when he volleyed over from eight yards at the back post after good work to stand up the cross from Parisi. His scuffed finish also tested Zych on the stroke of half-time.

Jonatan Braut Brunes fired over straight after the restart and Cher Ndour nodded wide, but it was only a warning.

Rakow took the lead when they caught the Viola defenders napping on a bouncing ball, so Brunes got down the left and beat Christensen at the near post from close range.

From kick off to goal in 20 seconds

Fiorentina with an INSTANT response after going 1-0 down against Rakow

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It lasted only two minutes until Fiorentina equalised, Rolando Mandragora knocking on a ball for Ndour’s half-volley off the outside of the right boot from the edge of the area, giving it a strange swerve into the top corner.

Roberto Piccoli robbed Bogdan Racovitan in midfield to surge forward by himself, shrugging off defenders only to blast onto the crossbar.

Fiorentina youth team top scorer Riccardo Braschi came on for his senior debut in the final minutes.

Just as it seemed to be over, there was a dramatic twist, as Michael Ameyaw stuck up a hand to charge down the Dodo cross and he was leaning backwards, so the contact was inside the penalty area. Gudmundsson stepped up and kept his cool to insouciantly roll into the near bottom corner, sending Zych the wrong way to give Fiorentina a stoppage-time advantage.

Fiorentina 2-1 Rakow

Brunes 60 (R), Ndour 62 (F), Gudmundsson pen 93 (F)