Serie A: Fiorentina win again, Adnan becomes first Iraqi player to score Serie A goal
MILAN (Reuters) - Third-placed Fiorentina kept up the pressure on Serie A pacesetters Juventus and Napoli with a 3-2 win against Atalanta on Sunday, where all the goals came in a breathless last 25 minutes.
Ali Adnan became the first Iraqi player to score a Serie A goal when he hit the target for Udinese at Genoa, although the hosts turned the game around to win 2-1, helped by a late penalty save from Mattia Perin.
Carpi's Vid Belec also saved a late penalty from Maxi Lopez as the relegation-threatened side held on for a goalless draw at Torino while Sassuolo's 3-2 win over Empoli featured two harsh red cards and a controversial penalty.
Fiorentina's win left them with 52 points, four behind second-placed Napoli who will go back to the top if they beat AC Milan at home on Monday. Leaders Juventus have 58 points after Friday's 0-0 draw at Bologna.
Fiorentina went ahead with a Matias Fernandez header in the 67th minute and seemed to have wrapped it up when Cristian Tello scored on the break with nine minutes left.
Instead, Andrea Conti pulled one back for the hosts, before Nikola Kalinic turned in Borja Valero's cross for his 11th goal of the season and effectively seal Fiorentina's win.
Mauricio Pinilla replied with a stoppage-time consolation for Atalanta, who then had Conti sent off for a second bookable offence.
Adnan, who became the first Iraqi to play in Serie A when he signed for Udinese in the close season, scored his first goal with a free kick which was badly misjudged by Perin in the 33rd minute.
Alessio Cerci, from the penalty spot, and Diego Laxalt turned the game around for Genoa in the second half before Perin redeemed himself by saving 38-year-old Antonio Di Natale's penalty in the last minute.
Sassuolo were fuming when midfielder Simone Missiroli was given a second yellow card for what seemed accidental handball after 32 minutes and their irritation was only increased four minutes later when Piotr Zielinski gave visitors Empoli the lead.
Empoli also had Lorenzo Tonelli dismissed for a harsh second yellow card and Domenico Berardi levelled for seventh-placed Sassuolo with a spectacular volley on the turn just before the break.
Gregoire Defrel scored twice in three minutes after halftime to put Sassuolo in command before Empoli were awarded a controversial penalty for a foul by Federico Peluso on Alessandro Piu.
Massimo Maccarone fired home from the spot, the eleventh goal of the season for the 36-year-old 'Big Mac'.