UECL | Maccabi Haifa 3-4 Fiorentina: Seven-goal thriller

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·7 March 2024

UECL | Maccabi Haifa 3-4 Fiorentina: Seven-goal thriller

Fiorentina made life very difficult for themselves in Budapest, but still emerged with a 4-3 win over 10-man Maccabi Haifa in this chaotic encounter.

The Viola missed Lucas Martinez-Quarta, Arthur Melo and Christian Kouame on neutral turf in Budapest, while the reigning champions of Israel were without Kenny Saief, Tomer Hamed, Dean David, Mahmoud Jaber and suspended Daniel Sundgren.

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Fiorentina took the lead within 90 seconds, as Michael Kayode floated a cross from the right and M’Bala Nzola didn’t even need to jump, merely steer the header in from six yards at the far post.

Maccabi Haifa equalised amid controversy, as a corner was incorrectly awarded because there was a clear offside position in the build-up. That Gadi Kinda corner was then flicked on for Aboulaye Seck to tap in from six yards.

Pierrot sprung the offside trap and forced a tricky save out of Pietro Terracciano at the near post, but the goalkeeper was beaten by a Kinda angled drive, as Kayode was turned on the Mohamed through ball.

Fiorentina got back on level terms when Nico Gonzalez’s cross was laid off by Nzola for Lucas Beltran to toe-poke into the far bottom corner.

They almost turned it around moments later, but Duncan’s swept finish with the inside of the left boot was parried and Nzola could not take advantage of the rebound.

Fiorentina threatened to go in front again with a Nico Gonzalez header that was just wide of both Rolando Mandragora and the far post.

Instead, Maccabi Haifa went 3-2 up with Anan Khalaili beating Luca Ranieri down the right and instead of crossing for Pierrot, placed an angled drive into the far bottom corner.

It remained wide open, Beltran’s glancing header inches wide of the far post on Cristiano Biraghi’s free kick, then Fiorentina equalised as Biraghi completed a give and go with Nico Gonzalez to get down the left, rolled across for Mandragora to steer into the far bottom corner with the inside of his weaker right foot from 12 yards.

Manuel Cafumana received his first yellow card for a forearm smash on Nico Gonzalez, then the second for booting Giacomo Bonaventura in the back of the leg, leaving Maccabi Haifa down to 10 men.

The Viola poured forward trying to take advantage of the situation and finally did with almost the last kick of the game, as Antonin Barak’s effort from 12 yards took a big deflection to loop into the far top corner.