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Fiorentina are through to their sixth-ever European final, after a late penalty secured their opportunity to play for the UEFA Europa Conference League title.
Their 4-3 aggregate victory was secured by Lucas Beltran, who converted a penalty five minutes from time as the game appeared destined for extra time.
The visitors were the better team throughout and missed a number of chances. Christian Kouame hit the bar in the first half and the post in the second, while Cristiano Biraghi also curled a free-kick onto the bar.
It was Club Brugge that went ahead in the match in the 20th minute, when Maxim De Cuyper turned in a cross from Hans Vanaken.
From then on Fiorentina took control of the match, but still required a smart save from Pietro Terracciano to keep out Vanaken in injury time.
Fiorentina will play either Olympiacos or Aston Villa in the final in Athens on 29 May, and have the chance to avenge their defeat in the final against West Ham United last year.
Talking Point – Can Fiorentina take the final step?
Last June their hearts were shattered as Jarrod Bowen sprinted through to score a goal that went down in West Ham folklore.
The thought of losing again is almost unbearable. Fiorentina won the inaugural European Cup Winners Cup in 1961, but possess the unwelcome record of having lost in the final of not just their defence of that title the following year, but the 1957 European Cup Final and the 1990 UEFA Cup Final alongside their defeat in Prague last June.
That smorgasbord of failures is a lot of scratches to itch, as the club go in search of their first European trophy for 63 years. Either Olympiacos or Aston Villa will be one opponent, and the weight of their own history another.
Player of the Match – Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
He missed a gilt-edged chance when through one-on-one with Simon Mingolet, but outside of that Gonzalez was the main creative outlet for the visitors. His improvised cross helped win the penalty that put his team in the final, a match in which he could have a key influence.
Player Ratings
Club Brugge: Mignolet 7; Odoi 7, Mechele 5, Ordonez 7; Sabbe 6, Vetlesen 6, Vanaken 7, De Cuyper 7; Skoras 6, Thiago 7, Jutgla 6
SUBS: Nielsen 6, Nusa 6, Zinckernagel 6
Fiorentina: Terracciano 7; Dodo 7, Milenkovic 7, Martinez 6, Biraghi 6; Beltran 7, Arthur 7, Mandragora; Gonzalez 8, Belotti 6, Kouame 7
SUBS: Ranieri 6, Nzola 6, Duncan 7
Match Highlights
20′ GOAL! CLUB BRUGGE 1 (DE CUYPER 20) FIORENTINA 0 Well now, we’re level in the tie! Thiago feeds Vanaken on the left corner of the area. Vanaken whips in a beauty of a cross, inswinging at pace, and De Cuyper steals in to miss the ball with his head but clip it in with his thigh. Cue bedlam!
35′ OFF THE BAR! A ball is lobbed forward and breaks to Kouame just inside the area. He could take a touch but opts to batter a half-volley at goal, which cracks the underside of the bar and bounces out. When Fiorentina get the ball back Belotti crosses to the penalty spot where Gonzalez plants a header just wide of the post. They’ve looked so dangerous since the opening goal, but have nothing to show for it yet.
74′ OFF THE WOODWORK Biraghi takes it again, over the wall, and it’s a beauty; it cracks bar and bounces away with Mignolet beaten!
75′ OFF THE POST! My oh my, they’re missing some chances! Gonzlaez whips in a lovely ball to the penalty spot. Kouame rises, and plants a header against the inside of the post and away from danger.
82′ PENALTY! Gonzalez acrobatically crosses to near the penalty spot. Nzola ducks in to head it and Mechele catches him in the face trying to clear with his left foot. Meler had no hesitation and this won’t be flipped. What a chance here for Fiorentina, it’ll be Beltran to take.
85′ GOAL! CLUB BRUGGE 1 FIORENTINA 1 (BELTRAN PEN. 85) Beltran shoots low to his left, and although Mignolet guessed the right way he was beaten for pace. Fiorentina are so close to a repeat final now!
90+5′ SUPERB SAVE! This could put Fiorentina in the final. Vanaken jinks forwards, and shoots low to the corner from the edge. It looks in but Terracciano just gets his hand to it to turn the ball around the post!
Key Stat
- This is the second time that Fiorentina have reached back to back European finals, they also reached the final of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1961 and 1962.
