Fiorentina, Atalanta earn late draw

Fiorentina, Atalanta earn late draw

Published Dec. 17, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

Fiorentina and Atalanta drew 2-2 after a glut of goals in the final 10 minutes of this Serie A clash.

Alberto Gilardino's early goal gave the Viola a lead which lasted for 72 minutes, before Andrea Masiello and German Denis turned the game on its head - but a final twist was to follow as Stevan Jovetic levelled with two minutes remaining.

The result leaves both teams level on 17 points, Atalanta having been deducted six before the season started due to a match-fixing investigation.

Fiorentina scored with their first chance, Juan Vargas crossing for Gilardino to sweep the ball low past keeper Andrea Consigli.

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Gilardino fired Jovetic's cross wide before Atalanta hit back, Luca Cigarini firing just wide before Masiello skied a long-range shot over the bar.

Fiorentina controlled the remainder of the first half without testing Consigli, Andrea Lazzari the first to threaten when he lashed a left-foot effort over the bar.

Alessandro Gamberini headed a corner wide and the otherwise impressive Jovetic rounded off a flowing counter-attack with a wayward blast over the bar.

Atalanta started the second half more brightly, Maximiliano Moralez trying his luck from distance before delivering a free-kick from which Ezequiel Schelotto headed just over.

The hosts enjoyed another spell of pressure but Amidu Salifu's shot was easy pickings for Consigli. The goalkeeper was similarly untroubled when making saves from Valon Behrami and Andrea Lazzari in quick succession.

And the Viola were made to pay for their lack of a cutting edge when Atalanta scored twice in four minutes to take the lead.

First a corner found its way to Masiello outside the area and his low left-foot shot found the bottom corner of the net.

And it went from bad to worse for Fiorentina when Schelotto crossed and Denis was on hand to finish from close range.

But they responded well and Houssine Kharja delivered an excellent cross from which Jovetic slammed a close-range effort into the roof of the net.

Kharja could even have snatched the three points in stoppage time when he latched on to Khouma Babacar's pass, but his right-foot shot flashed wide.

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