Serie A | Atalanta 2-0 Fiorentina: Palladino revives Dea, but Viola in crisis

Atalanta ended their eight-round Serie A winless streak, as Raffaele Palladino sent his old club Fiorentina plunging further into crisis with Odilon Kossounou and Ademola Lookman goals.

It was the first home game for new coach Raffaele Palladino, after a defeat at Napoli and 3-0 Champions League win away to Eintracht Frankfurt, and he did it against his old club. Giorgio Scalvini and Mitchel Bakker were the only remaining absentees, while the Viola missed Robin Gosens and Tariq Lamptey. The crisis was going from bad to worse for Paolo Vanoli, who oversaw two Serie A draws before Thursday’s 1-0 home defeat to AEK Athens in the Conference League, as the team is still without a domestic win.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was a bright start from the Tuscans, who had a double chance after four minutes when Moise Kean sprung the offside trap, but Marco Carnesecchi parried both his angled drive and the Roberto Piccoli follow-up from point-blank range.

David De Gea got down for a strong one-handed save on the Charles De Ketelaere daisy-cutter from the edge of the area, then had to be alert again to deny Davide Zappacosta at the near post from an inspired Ademola Lookman pass.

The goalkeepers continued to keep the scoreline down with big saves, as Carnesecchi denied Piccoli at the near post, then De Gea got down to fingertip a De Ketelaere daisy-cutter round the base of the far post.

Atalanta broke the deadlock with a spectacular strike, as Odilon Kossounou swept it first-time into the far top corner from the edge of the area on a De Ketelaere lay-off, but it was probably intended as a cross from the defender. It still counts as the first Serie A goal of his career.

Lookman failed to make the most of a poor De Gea ball out from the back, drilling wide, while after the restart Kean’s header was too weak to trouble Carnesecchi on a Luca Ranieri cross.

The hosts doubled their lead when De Gea made a big reaction save from De Ketelaere’s header on a corner, but could do nothing on Lookman’s follow-up into the roof of the net.

It was very nearly 3-0 moments later, De Gea making another desperate save on Marten de Roon’s header from a Lookman cross.

Dodo went on a rapid counter-attack for his shot deflected over and on the resulting corner Kean’s header was cleared off the line by Gianluca Scamacca.

De Ketelaere also failed to finish a promising solo run, but Kean was so unlucky to see his glancing header thump the far post from a Rolando Mandragora free kick on 76 minutes.

There was a warm welcome from the home fans as Sead Kolasinac made his first Serie A appearance of the season following a serious knee injury.

Kossounou 41 (A), Lookman 52 (A)