Fiorentina up to fourth as Mohamed Salah scores in first start

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:22 am
Mohamed Salah, left, scored in his first start for Fiorentina since he loan from Chelsea began.
Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Mohamed Salah celebrated his first Fiorentina start with a goal as the Viola beat Sassuolo 3-1 to move up to fourth in Serie A.

The Egyptian, who arrived on loan from Chelsea as part of the deal which saw Juan Cuadrado join the Blues, put Fiorentina ahead after half an hour before setting up Khouma Babacar to make it two just a minute later.

Babacar added a third after an hour with Domenico Berardi grabbing a consolation for the hosts, who lost for only the second time in eight games.

Fiorentina's second win in a row not only extends their unbeaten streak to six, but also gives them confidence for the trip to Tottenham in the Europa League on Thursday.

Salah had the chance to mark his starting debut with a goal inside 60 seconds but Andrea Consigli defended his near post well to deny the Egyptian, who had beaten the offside trap to get in around the back of the Sassuolo defence.

It was a sign of things to come, though, as Fiorentina attacked and Babacar was denied next by Consigli after he also made a save from Matias Fernandez.

The Viola took a deserved lead on the half-hour mark when a neat flick with the back of his heal from Babacar sent Salah through on goal again and he made no mistake this time, providing a composed finish into the far corner.

Salah then turned provider to set up Babacar to turn and place his shot low past Consigli.

Babacar looked in the mood for more and he grabbed his second in the 63rd minute when he took a long ball down well before tucking it coolly past Consigli.

Sassuolo responded, although it was too late for them to get anything out of the game.

Berardi looped in a header from a speculative ball forwards, but it proved to be no more than a consolation for Eusebio Di Francesco's side, for whom Simone Zaza wasted the best chances.