REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – AUGUST 28: Edin Dzeko and Mattia Viti of ACF Fiorentina reacts during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2025/2026 Play-Off 1st leg match between ACF Fiorentina and FC Polissya Zhytomyr at Mapei Stadium – Citta’ del Tricolore on August 28, 2025 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Fiorentina got back on their feet with a dominant Conference League performance away to Rapid Vienna, as Cher Ndour, Edin Dzeko and Albert Gudmundsson scored.
The Viola had a disastrous start to their Serie A season, scraping just three draws in seven rounds, but were doing better in Europe with a 2-0 victory over Sigma Olomouc. Moise Kean and Robin Gosens were rested, with Christian Kouame and Tariq Lamptey injured. Rapid Vienna were also on dire form, losing four competitive games in a row, with Claudy Mbuyi, Petter Nosa Dahl and Jakob Schöller out of action.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
The visitors had a huge double opportunity after four minutes when Niklas Hedl fumbled a Hans Nicolussi Caviglia cross, as Rapid Vienna saved themselves with two Ange Ahoussou goal-line clearances on Edin Dzeko and the Mattia Viti follow-up.
It was only a warning, as Edin Dzeko saw his angled drive meekly flapped away by the goalkeeper into the path of Cher Ndour to open the scoring.
Roberto Piccoli should’ve made it 2-0 when he ran onto the inspired Nicolò Fagioli ball over the top, but fired wide with only the shot-stopper to beat.
Piccoli’s weak header was also saved and Kara scuffed a finish wide after Pablo Mari’s poor back pass, then Pablo Mari nodded a corner over.
Fiorentina did double their lead after the restart when Nicolò Fortini put in a cross from the right, Dzeko sweeping in on the bounce with the inside of the right boot from 10 yards.
David De Gea made a stunning save when flying to fingertip the Mathias Seidl scorcher onto the crossbar on 65 minutes.
Piccoli wasted another golden opportunity, but Fiorentina did add a third moments later when young substitute Kouadio laid it off inside the area for Albert Gudmundsson’s control and angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Rapid Vienna 0-3 Fiorentina
Ndour 9 (F), Dzeko 49 (F), Gudmundsson 88 (F)
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75′ 77
62′ 18
85′ 9
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87′ 26
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57′ 29
77′ 44
57′ 9
77′ 91
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62′ 17
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75′ 21
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57′ 7
57′ 10
77′ 2
77′ 60
87′
