Fiorentina were seconds away from a priceless comeback victory in their relegation fight, only for Torino defender G. Maripan to snatch a 2–2 draw at Stadio Artemio Franchi in Serie A’s Round 24 on Saturday night. The hosts, coached by Paolo Vanoli, overturned a first‑half deficit with two quickfire goals after the break, but Marco Baroni’s side rescued a point at the death. The result leaves Fiorentina still marooned in 18th on 19 points and deep in trouble, while Torino edge to 28 points in 13th, keeping a comfortable cushion above the drop zone.
First Half Analysis
The opening 45 minutes followed the scoreline rather than the overall balance of play. Torino struck first on 26', capitalising on one of their forays forward. Midfielder C. Casadei found the net for the visitors, finishing a move created by E. Ilkhan’s assist to give Baroni’s side a 1–0 lead.
The goal allowed Torino to lean on their compact 3‑5‑2 structure, with the back three of Marianucci, Maripán and Coco protecting goalkeeper A. Paleari. Fiorentina, in Vanoli’s 4‑3‑2‑1, pushed through their midfield trio of R. Mandragora, N. Fagioli and M. Brescianini but lacked the incision to level before the break.
The half grew increasingly tetchy. Valentino Lazaro went into the book for a foul on 31', underlining Torino’s willingness to break up play. Nine minutes later, Fiorentina right‑back Dodô was cautioned for arguing, a sign of home frustration as they went into half‑time trailing 0–1 despite spells of possession.
Second Half & Tactical Shifts
Both coaches moved quickly after the interval. At 46', Baroni made his first change, withdrawing left‑sided midfielder R. Obrador for defender M. Pedersen, a switch that suggested a desire for fresh legs on the flank rather than extra attacking ambition. Two minutes later Vanoli reacted, taking off creator A. Gudmundsson and sending on J. Harrison, a like‑for‑like attacking change that would prove decisive.
Fiorentina’s response was immediate. On 51', M. Solomon levelled the match, finishing a move started by Mandragora’s assist to make it 1–1 and ignite the Franchi. The turnaround was complete six minutes later: at 57', centre‑forward M. Kean struck to put the hosts 2–1 up, with substitute Harrison providing the assist. Vanoli’s early attacking tweak had directly flipped the game.
Chasing the match, Torino turned to their bench on 59'. Ilkhan, who had assisted the opener, was replaced by F. Anjorin in midfield, while forward S. Kulenovic made way for G. Simeone, adding fresh energy up front. The visitors’ growing desperation was mirrored in their discipline: Maripán was booked for a foul on 64', followed by fellow defender Luca Marianucci on 66'.
Baroni doubled down on attack at 69', withdrawing wing‑back V. Lazaro for forward Z. Aboukhlal, an aggressive move that pushed Torino higher. Vanoli, in contrast, looked to protect the lead. At 73', he removed Mandragora and Brescianini, introducing C. Ndour and G. Fabbian to refresh the midfield screen.
Torino’s final throw of the dice came on 83', with striker C. Adams replaced by D. Zapata, another powerful presence in the box. Vanoli responded two minutes later with clearly defensive substitutions: goalscorers Solomon and Kean were both withdrawn on 85', replaced by defender L. Ranieri and striker R. Piccoli, the former shoring up the back line, the latter offering fresh pressing up front.
The closing minutes were fractious. Fiorentina centre‑back Pietro Comuzzo was booked for a foul on 90+3', before Aboukhlal saw yellow for a foul at 90+5'. Gvidas Gineitis was also cautioned for arguing on 90'. Yet Torino still had one final twist: on 90', Maripán rose to score, assisted by Gineitis, salvaging a 2–2 draw and silencing Fiorentina’s celebrations.
Statistical Deep Dive
Over the 90 minutes Fiorentina controlled 55% of the ball, completing 502 passes to Torino’s 418, with a marginally higher accuracy (87% to 84%). Vanoli’s side clearly tried to build through possession, while Torino were more direct and selective in their use of the ball.
That control translated into a heavier attacking volume. Fiorentina attempted 21 total shots to Torino’s 12, with a 5–4 edge in efforts on target and 9–4 in corners. The expected goals underline the story: the hosts posted 1.53 xG against Torino’s 0.96, reflecting that Fiorentina created more and slightly better chances, yet still failed to see out the win.
Discipline was a stark contrast. Fiorentina committed only 6 fouls and collected 2 yellow cards, while Torino racked up 23 fouls and 5 bookings. Baroni’s team walked a fine line between aggression and recklessness, repeatedly interrupting Fiorentina’s rhythm but ultimately surviving without a red card.
The draw nudges Fiorentina to 19 points from 24 matches, still 18th with a goal difference of –11 (27 scored, 38 conceded) and firmly in the Serie B relegation zone. Their home record remains fragile, now 2 wins, 5 draws and 6 defeats at the Franchi. Torino move to 28 points, staying 13th with a –18 goal difference (24 for, 42 against). With 7 wins, 6 draws and 11 losses, Baroni’s side maintain a mid‑table cushion, while Fiorentina’s inability to close out games like this keeps their survival hopes under severe pressure.
