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·3 April 2024

Coppa Italia | Fiorentina 1-0 Atalanta: Amazing Mandragora

Fiorentina win the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final thanks to a long-range Rolando Mandragora stunner, but might regret wasting so many chances against Atalanta.

Both these sides had lost the Final recently, the Viola last season and La Dea in both 2019 and 2021. Giorgio Scalvini and Charles De Ketelaere did not make the trip, while Lucas Martinez-Quarta was carrying a knock, but Giacomo Bonaventura returned from suspension. Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini sat out a touchline ban. These teams were meant to meet in Serie A on March 17, but it was called off following director Joe Barone’s fatal heart attack.

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See how the game unfolded on the Liveblog, ahead of the second leg on April 24.

It was a very aggressive start from the hosts, who had a triple chance on 23 minutes from a corner, two shots charged down before Marco Carnesecchi used his foot to parry from Lucas Beltran at the near post.

The goalkeeper then palmed away the Nico Gonzalez cross that only skimmed Andrea Belotti’s head, while Rolando Mandragora bravely charged down a Teun Koopmeiners scorcher.

The deadlock was broken with an absolutely extraordinary left-foot strike out of nowhere, as Mandragora unleashed a sudden screamer from 27.6 metres out that ricocheted in off the inside of the post at the top corner, giving Carnesecchi no chance.

Oh my word…Rolando Mandragora!!! 😱😱 A stunning, swerving strike from distance to give Fiorentina the lead 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ixxn8LFfvs — Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) April 3, 2024

Nico Gonzalez flashed a shot across the face of goal, but Atalanta had to come out for the restart with a different attitude and two changes, Isak Hien’s volley on a corner parried by Pietro Terracciano.

Carnesecchi kept the scoreline down with a spectacular fingertip save to push the Nico Gonzalez looping header wide from 13 yards, then had his gloves stung by Nico Gonzalez one-on-one after the offside trap failed.

Mitchel Bakker drilled across the face of goal from an Ademola Lookman assist, but it was still mainly Fiorentina who wasted golden opportunities. First Ederson made a desperate block on Andrea Belotti from close range, then on the resulting corner the Belotti header was going in only for Luca Ranieri to hook it away from the goal rather than redirect it from six yards.

Terracciano pushed a Gianluca Scamacca curler round the far post and was alert to prevent him tapping in the Emil Holm cross from six yards.