Hat-trick hero Adrian Mutu grabbed a last-minute equaliser as Fiorentina
came from 3-0 down to deny Genoa fourth spot in Serie A in a dramatic
encounter at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris today.
Thiago Motta put the home side in front in the 12th minute, but they
were forced to play an hour with 10 men after Giuseppe Biava was sent
off for a second yellow card.
Raffaele Palladino made it two for Genoa in the 38th minute and
a penalty from Diego Milito added a third 10 minutes into the second
half.
Adrian Mutu responded from the spot on the hour mark before grabbing
a second with a direct free kick in the 80th minute. He completed
his hat-trick with the final kick of the game to break the Genoa
fans' hearts.
Backed by yet another large, vociferous crowd at the Stadio Luigi
Ferraris, the home side laid siege to the Fiorentina goal early
on as they sought to take fourth place back from the Viola.
Thiago Motta was the perpetual motor of the Genoa midfield and
he came from deep to score a well-worked opener for the home team,
playing a neat one-two with Milito before placing a low shot past
Sebastian Frey.
Genoa were reduced to 10 men on the half hour mark when Biava was
dismissed for a second yellow card for a foul on Stevan Jovetic
on the edge of the area.
Jovetic sent the resulting free-kick through the wall but into
the arms of Rubinho.
Despite having one man less on the pitch, Genoa reorganised and
grabbed a second goal in the 38th minute.
Mesto began a run down the right wing from inside his own half
and never stopped as he beat four Fiorentina players, entered the
penalty area and laid the ball on a plate for Palladino to score
the second from close range.
The home side held out until half time with Alberto Gilardino firing
a volley over the crossbar as the home side's nerves began to show
before the half time whistle.
The Viola began their expected assault on the Genoa goal with Jovetic
firing over from the edge of the penalty area when found by Gilardino
five minutes into the second half.
But the Rossoblu went three ahead when Domenico Criscito was felled
by Alessandro Gamberini inside the penalty area and Milito converted
the penalty in the 56th minute.
Genoa were not comfortable for long, though, before Fiorentina
were back in the game with a penalty of their own.
Rubinho fumbled a high ball to the feet of Gilardino, who was clattered
into by Salvatore Bocchetti. Mutu stepped up to send Rubinho the
wrong way from the spot.
The home team had just half an hour to hold out and it was a case
of backs to the wall for them.
Mutu should have narrowed the gap with a header minutes later which
he flashed across the face of goal.
The Romanian striker set up a grandstand finish 10 minutes from
time with a free-kick which Rubinho could only push onto the underside
of his own crossbar, but the ball cannoned back down over the line
to make it 3-2.
And he completed his hat-trick with the final kick of the game,
placing his shot past Rubinho from just inside the penalty area.
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