Football
2014-15 Italian Serie A
FIO 
3
FT
 ATA
2
PA Sport 9y

Fiorentina 3-2 Atalanta

Fiorentina's Manuel Pasqual struck a late goal to give Mohamed Salah a winning Serie A debut against visiting Atalanta on Sunday afternoon.
Egyptian winger Salah, who joined Fiorentina this week on loan from Chelsea, came on in the 65th minute with the score level at 1-1 after Viola defender Jose Basanta had cancelled out Davide Zappacosta's opener.
Alessandro Diamanti put Fiorentina ahead in the 76th minute with his first goal for the club but Atalanta substitute Richmond Boakye equalised with seven minutes remaining. Pasqual ensured all three points for the Viola one minute from time as Fiorentina climbed to fourth in the standings with the 3-2 victory.
Atalanta, who had lost just one of their previous six games, dropped to 15th position.
Fiorentina went into the contest in buoyant mood after eliminating Roma from the Coppa Italia in midweek to reach the last four of the competition.
Atalanta enjoyed the better start and took a ninth-minute lead when Alejandro Gomez's perfect cross found Zappacosta at the far post and his powerful header beat Fiorentina goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.
The Bergamaschi almost doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Papu Gomez unleashed a bullet strike from 30 yards which forced Tatarusanu to fully stretch to clear.
Four minutes later and Fiorentina equalised after poor defending by the visitors.
Basanta was left unmarked in the six-yard box and nodded Matias Fernandez's free-kick past a helpless Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.
On the stroke of half-time, Tatarusanu was forced to punch away Zappacosta's right-footed volley after a fast counter-attack from Atalanta.
The hosts were denied the lead five minutes into the second half after Mario Gomez's goal was disallowed for a clear offside.
Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella then brought in Salah in place of Joaquin in the 65th minute. Two minutes later, Salah spotted Diamanti in the box and his effort was saved by Sportiello.
Fiorentina went in front in the 76th minute following great work from Diamanti. The veteran playmaker got past two Atalanta defenders before unleashing an angled drive which was beyond Sportiello's reach for a 2-1 lead.
Fiorentina's joy was short-lived as soon after Boakye tapped in Zappacosta's cross to level matters.
With seconds remaining, Fiorentina went back in front when Fernandez sent the ball into the area and Pasqual was on hand to knock it in.
ends

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