Sports

Fiorentina Beat Pisa 3-0 in Coppa Italia Despite Spirited Nerazzurri Effort

By LORENZO VERO

Fiorentina advanced in the Coppa Italia with a 3-0 win over Pisa at the Franchi Stadium, with goals from Pellegrino, Gnonto, and Gonçalves securing the victory. Although Pisa's coach, Bianco, had not prioritized the cup competition, the defeat still stung given the rivalry between the two sides.

Bianco's primary objective was for his team to respond with energy and confidence after a poor performance in their last league match against Entella. From that standpoint, Bianco could take some satisfaction from the display, even in defeat, as Pisa faced a significantly stronger opponent.

The coach made nine changes to his starting lineup, handing minutes to several players including captain Caracciolo, who impressed in a three-man defensive setup, along with Loyola, Ferrah, and Rao. Rao stood out with two long-range attempts around the half-hour mark that tested Fiorentina goalkeeper De Gea.

Fiorentina opened the scoring after goalkeeper Scuffet, playing his first match since returning to the side, failed to properly control a shot from Dragusin, allowing Pellegrino to tap in the rebound. Pisa felt they were denied two legitimate penalty claims by referee Marinelli during the match.

In the second half, Pisa pushed for an equalizer through Pittarello, who shot wide from close range, and Scuffet made a crucial save to deny Pellegrino in the 63rd minute. Pisa's chances effectively ended when Gnonto scored from a pass by Njie, following a strong run down the right by the former Torino player, with 20 minutes remaining. Gonçalves added a fourth goal in stoppage time with a long-range strike, sealing the 3-0 victory.

Fiorentina will now face Napoli in the round of 16, while Pisa turns its focus to league play. Their next challenge is an away fixture against Mantova on Sunday, their last match before the upcoming break. Bianco expressed confidence in his squad's ability to compete on all fronts.