March 05, (THEWILL) – Fiorentina defeated Milan 2-1 in an emotional match marking the fifth anniversary of the death of former Fiorentina captain Davide Astori.
Defending champions Milan had been on a four-game winning streak, but they were without several key players and struggled against a strong Fiorentina side.
Both teams and the crowd united in a standing ovation for Astori in the 13th minute. The hosts dominated the first half and had several chances to score, with Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan making some crucial saves. Milan had their moments, but they struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.
Nico Gonzalez opened the scoring for the home team with a penalty in the second half, and Luka Jovic sealed the victory with a diving header in the 87th minute. Milan’s Theo Hernandez scored a late consolation goal, but it was not enough to avoid defeat.
Milan will look to bounce back when they face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, while Fiorentina will play Sivasspor in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
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.
