FLORENCE: Nikola Milen­kovic scored with the last kick of the game as Fiorentina salvaged a 1-1 draw with Genoa in a battle between two relegation-threatened Serie A teams on Monday.

Marko Pjaca put Genoa ahead in the 89th minute to set his team on course for what would have been their first win since the opening day of the season on Sept 20.

However, there was plenty of added time in a game repeatedly delayed by injuries and video reviews, and Fiorentina made the most of it. Genoa missed repeated chances to clear the ball in Fiorentina’s last desperate attack in the eighth minute of extra time and eventually the ball fell to defender Milenkovic, who saw his first shot blocked and poked in the rebound.

Genoa stayed 19th and in the relegation zone, two places and three points behind Fiorentina.

Fiorentina could have opened the scoring when Giacomo Bonaventura tapped in off a flick from Dusan Vlahovic in the 70th minute, but a video review ruled out the goal for a foul in the buildup.

Both sides sustained injuries in an attritional battle between clubs in danger of dropping into Serie B.

Genoa played half an hour with a backup goalkeeper after Federico Marchetti went off hurt with an apparent thigh problem. Fiorentina took off midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli in the first half and Genoa had to replace defender Cristian Zapata.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2020