Second-half goals from forward Nicolas Gonzalez and striker Luka Jovic earned Fiorentina a 2-1 home win over AC Milan in Serie A on Saturday, breaking the reigning champions’ winning streak of four games.
Milan, who travel to Tottenham Hotspur for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Wednesday, had not previously lost a game in all competitions since their 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan on Feb. 5.
They remain fourth in the standings on 47 points, level with third-placed Inter Milan, who host Lecce on Sunday.
Fiorentina, who on Monday ended their near two-month wait for a Serie A win with a 3-0 victory at Hellas Verona, are 12th on 31 points.
They achieved back-to-back Serie A wins without conceding for the first time since January 2020.
“We’ve kicked a lot in many games, but never with that desire we had tonight,” coach Vincenzo Italiano told Sky Italia.
“In the last five games we’ve shown that (our) forwards know how to score goals and we’re happy.”
Fiorentina could have taken the lead in the 13th minute with a free kick by midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura, but his attempt from the edge of the box was well-anticipated by Milan keeper Mike Maignan.
Bonaventura was close to giving Fiorentina the lead again in the 26th but his low close-range effort was cleared off the line by Milan defender Fikayo Tomori.
Milan had their first goal attempt after the half-hour mark when Olivier Giroud picked up a lofted pass inside the box to fire in a first-time shot but Fiorentina keeper Pietro Terracciano made the save.
Fiorentina had more possession and shots in the first half but failed to find a way through.
Following the break, however, they were awarded a penalty when Tomori fouled forward Jonathan Ikone, and Gonzalez sent the Milan goalkeeper the wrong way.
Milan had a chance to respond before the hour mark through captain Theo Hernandez, who latched on to a long ball from Pierre Kalulu before striking from inside the box, but he was denied by Terracciano.
Instead, Fiorentina doubled their lead three minutes from time through a close-range diving header by Jovic, who was beautifully set up in the box by defender Dodo.
Hernandez pulled one back for Milan in stoppage time, sending a stunning shot into the roof of the net, but Stefano Pioli’s men lacked time to look for an equaliser.
Fiorentina, who won only three of their previous 16 Serie A home games against Milan, host Turkey’s Sivasspor in the Europa Conference League on Thursday. They then travel to Cremonese in the league on March 12.
Following their midweek trip to London, Milan host Salernitana on March 13.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
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