Roma pull the rug from under Fiorentina
Saturday, May 4, 2013
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Pablo Osvaldo struck at the death to give AS Roma a 1-0 win against ACF Fiorentina, with stand-in goalkeepers having tormented Vincenzo Montella's ambitious visitors.
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AS Roma's Pablo Osvaldo headed in a corner in added time to put a major crimp in ACF Fiorentina's hopes of a UEFA Champions League place next season.
With Vincenzo Montella's visitors having made most of the running, Roma hit Fiorentina with a sucker punch at the death to move within three points of their visitors, with the two sides occupying fourth and fifth places in Serie A. Third-placed AC Milan can tighten their grip on the final UEFA Champions League place if they enhance their one-point lead over Fiorentina with a win at home against Torino FC on Sunday.
Stand-in goalkeepers were to frustrate Fiorentina. Covering for the injured Maarten Stekelenburg, Bogdan Lobonț superbly tipped Stevan Jovetić's effort on to the upright seven minutes before the interval before being forced off with a broken nose. His replacement, Mauro Goicoechea, then made a string of crucial interventions to keep the visitors at bay. Former Roma player David Pizarro struck the frame of the goal with a powerful shot in added time, before Osvaldo twisted the knife at the death.
AC Chievo Verona drew 0-0 against Cagliari Calcio in the evening's early game.
