Fiorentina 2-0 Lazio: Dusan Vlahovic double hands host vital win, Andreas Pereira sees the late red card

Dusan Vlahovic-Fiorentina

Fiorentina extended their unbeaten run to four games in Serie A on Saturday evening with a vital 2-0 win over Lazio, thanks to a brace by Dusan Vlahovic.

With a top-six finish and Europa League place next season essentially secured, this was Lazio’s opportunity to put further space between them and AS Roma in 7th. But they could not take it, falling to a defeat to Fiorentina side, who look determined to make a late dash for a top-ten finish.

Despite ending the game with less game possession, the home team outfought their visitors and were the better team overall, ending the game with a combined 14 goal attempts against their visitors eleven attempts.

They opened their scoring in the first half through Vlahovic. The Serbian striker found the back of the net with a well-taken goal that beat Pepe Reina in Lazio goal after receiving a sweet pass from Cristiano Biraghi.

The striker buried his second of the night to double his side’s lead in the 89th minute, out-jumping the Lazio defence to head home from an Erick Pulgar corner. The goal was the Serbian’s 21st goal of the season in Serie A, taking level with Lukaku and two clear of Ciro Immobile, who could not add to his tally on the night.

With Lazio players missing in action for most of the game, Andreas Pereira decided to add his name to the talking points, receiving a needless second yellow card/red card in the 95th minute of the game for a bad foul.

The win ensured that Fiorentina climbed to 13th in the table while Lazio remains in 6th place.

Both sides are back in Serie A action this Wednesday. Fiorentina travel to Cagliari, while Lazio host Parma on the same day.