April 05, (THEWILL) – Fiorentina’s quest for Coppa Italia glory took a significant step forward as they claimed a 2-0 victory over 10-man Cremonese in the first leg of their semi-final clash.
Arthur Cabral and Nicolas Gonzalez were on target as the visitors dominated the proceedings, and were unlucky not to add more to their tally. Cabral’s header gave Fiorentina a well-deserved lead midway through the first half before Gonzalez doubled their advantage from the penalty spot after Cremonese defender Emanuel Aiwu was sent off for handball.
Despite a spirited effort from the hosts, they were unable to find a way back into the game. Even the introduction of Cyriel Dessers in the 46th minute failed to spark the hosts’ attack to life.
The victory extended Fiorentina’s unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions, puttingputs them in pole position to reach the final. The second leg will take place at the Artemio Franchi Stadium on April 27, where La Viola will look to finish the job and book their place in the showpiece event.
Both teams return to action in the Serie A on Saturday with Cremonese away to Sampdoria and Fiorentina hosting Spezia at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
