📸 Pongracic wonder goal seals it, Fiorentina reach Conf League QFs 🏆 | OneFootball

Fiorentina suffers, wins at the last second, and flies to the Conference League quarter-finals at the end of a complicated match, but one managed with character.

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A balanced first half, but with momentum that, after Kean’s early flash, gradually shifts towards Rakow: the Polish side controls the game but fails to create real danger for Christensen.

The match heats up in the second half: Struski immediately stuns Fiorentina with a goal that gives Rakow the lead and levels the aggregate, but then comes the Viola’s reaction. In the 68th minute, Ndour finds the equalizer thanks to a shot that is fortuitously deflected by Piccoli after a great play by Parisi, with the goal awarded to the midfielder.

In the final minutes, a huge scare: in the 84th minute, the referee awards a penalty for contact between Christensen and Brunes, but after an on-field review, he changes his mind and cancels it, saving Fiorentina. The Poles go on the attack, and on the last attempt, even the goalkeeper comes up. As Fiorentina regains possession, Pongracic, from midfield, seals the final 2-1 with a billiard shot—his very first goal in a Fiorentina shirt.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Viola are in the Conference League quarter-finals: now they will face Crystal Palace, who beat AEK Larnaca on penalties.

🧐 Fiorentina in the quarter-finals for the 4th consecutive year

Since the 2022/23 season, Fiorentina has reached the quarter-finals of this competition—a true record.

😱 Pongracic from midfield: Fiorentina wins!

MINUTE 96' - A crazy and liberating finale for Fiorentina: on Rakow’s last attack, even goalkeeper Zych comes up for the decisive corner, but the Viola clear and immediately counter.

Pongracic collects the ball, advances to midfield and, slightly off to the right, unleashes an incredible shot into the empty net that seals the victory. A true wondergoal—his very first goal in a Fiorentina shirt.

⚠️ Christensen-Brunes: referee gives penalty, after OFR cancels it

MINUTE 84 - Rakow breaks quickly and sends Brunes deep, who moves out to the left. Christensen comes out decisively and the striker goes to ground, but the images show that the Viola goalkeeper didn’t touch him: correct decision after the OFR, no penalty and a yellow card for simulation to the home player.

⚽ Ndour shoots, Piccoli deflects: Viola equalize!

MINUTE 69 - Goal by Ndour or Piccoli? It doesn’t matter, Fiorentina finds the equalizer.

Splendid play by Parisi on the right, he beats two men and passes to the edge of the box, with Piccoli laying it off for the midfielder. The shot is on target and the fortuitous deflection by Piccoli changes the trajectory, deceiving Zych.

The goal—for now—is awarded to Ndour, since the shot was already on target, but we’ll see if the goal will be credited to the Italian striker, who had also hit the post shortly before.

⚽ Fiorentina, shocking start to the second half: Struski scores

MINUTE 46 - The Viola return to the pitch in the worst possible way and immediately concede a goal, after just twenty-two seconds.

Struski scores the goal that gives the Poles the lead and restores aggregate parity: a perfect through ball from Lopez, control and cut inside by the striker, who then unleashes a powerful right-footed shot at the near post. Christensen is caught off guard and probably could have done more.

👀 Dangerous Kean, forced substitution for Rakow

First half over. Fiorentina lost some of the brilliance shown at the start, after Kean’s early spark. Rakow has gained ground and is trying to dictate the play, although so far they haven’t really troubled Christensen with dangerous shots.

Amidst this phase of increased Polish pressure, another problem arises for the home side: Tudor, who returned at the last minute just for this match, gives in to physical problems in the 17th minute and leaves the field, forcing Rakow into an early substitution with Mosor coming on.

✅ OFFICIAL lineups

FIORENTINA (4-3-3): Christensen; Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Parisi; Fabbian, Fagioli, Ndour; Harrison, Kean, Fazzini.

RAKOW (3-4-2-1): Zych; Mozor, Svarnas, Racovitan; Tudor, Repka, Struski, Ameyaw; Ivi, Makuch; Brunes.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.