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| Crucial win for Atalanta |
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Atalanta boosted their hopes of Serie A survival and dented Fiorentina's Europa League aspirations with a narrow win over La Viola in Bergamo.
Bortolo Mutti's side headed into the encounter in 18th place, four points adrift of safety, but got off to the ideal start when Adriano Ferreira Pinto gave them a sixth-minute lead.
Simone Tiribocchi doubled their advantage midway through the second half and, although Riccardo Montolivo pulled one back 15 minutes from time, the hosts held on for a valuable three points.
Massimo Gobbi was sent off for a second bookable offence in the last minute to compound a miserable afternoon for the Tuscan outfit.
Atalanta remained in 18th but moved within two points of fourth-bottom Bologna, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Udinese, with four games of the season remaining.
The result saw Fiorentina slip six points behind sixth place to leave their dreams of playing European football next term looking bleak, particularly given their Coppa Italia semi-final defeat to Inter Milan.
The visitors travelled to the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia having managed just one win in their previous four league games.
Cesare Prandelli urged his troops to give their all in their remaining five games in order to give themselves the best chance of making it into the Europa League.
But they could hardly have got off to a worse start against their relegation-threatened opponents.
Jaime Valdes' cross from the right found Brazilian Ferreira Pinto, who headed into the top-right corner from close range to put the Bergamaschi ahead.
Fiorentina almost levelled in the 20th minute but Alberto Gilardino could not make proper contact with his shot following a goalmouth scramble in the home box.
Riccardo Montolivo had another blast on the half-hour but could only direct his effort wide of Andrea Consigli's right post.
Gilardino then skimmed the bar with a header from Juan Vargas' right-wing cross as the equaliser continued to elude the visitors.
The home team could have doubled their cushion 60 seconds later when a swift counter-attack resulted in a chance for Valdes, but his shot was parried by Sebastien Frey.
There was still time in the first half for Fiorentina to muster another opportunity to level, only for Felipe to head wide from Gianluca Comotto's cross.
Tiribocchi started the second half like a man on a mission and was presented with three fine chances to make it 2-0.
First his left-footed 20-yard attempt was well saved by Frey, then he fired wide when one on one with the Fiorentina stopper and then he saw another effort from 10 yards hit the post.
Finally Tiribocchi was rewarded for his toil in the 69th minute with a fantastic volley from 10 yards which gave Frey no chance.
The hosts' two-goal advantage did not last for long, though, as Montolivo's shot from the edge of the area found its way to the top-right corner to halve the deficit.
Substitute Cristiano Doni curled a 25-yarder just wide six minutes from time as Atalanta pushed for a third.
Vargas then passed up two chances to nick a point for the visitors, firing wide on both occasions and failing to test replacement goalkeeper Ferdinando Coppola.
Fiorentina's frustrations were evident and manifested in a late red card for Gobbi for a second bookable offence.
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