UEFA Conference League: Proud TNS fall to Fiorentina defeat

ACF Fiorentina 2

Adli 65

Kean 69

The New Saints 0

A PROUD The New Saints team held their heads high against one of the giants of Italy’s Serie A as two goals five minutes apart was enough to give Fiorentina the win.

Goals from Yacine Adli and former Juventus star Moise Kean were enough to condemn Saints to defeat in their first-ever competitive European fixture, after a fine defensive performance from Craig Harrison’s men in Florence.

Saints were straight out of the blocks and when the dust settles, Harrison will be wondering whether a goal inside the first minutes should have been scored.

Adam Wilson broke free in the box and saw his first effort blocked and after Ben Clark’s weaker effort, the on-loan Bradford City man then played a perfect ball across the six-yard box but to no avail.

Saints were hoping to catch the two-time Conference League finalists cold after making 10 changes, with former Manchester United legend David De Gea left out.

Connor Roberts, who wanted to face his idol, showed he was worthy for the European stage with an outstanding stop from Christian Kounde, with a left-handed tip low around the post on 11 minutes.

TNS in action against Fiorentina. (Image: Brian Jones.)

Roberts was called upon again with an easier save on 22 minutes when he saved with a strong hand from Lucas Beltran after skipper Danny Redmond was turned too easily.

The hosts were full of endeavour but were reduced mainly to potshots from outside the box while Saints’ forays forward were few and far between and the home crowd was making their feelings known.

After some heroic defending, Wilson was able to lead a counterattack with Sion Bradley, making his European start, desperate for a through ball on 40 minutes but he stumbled.

Saints began to ride their luck and minutes before the break, Rolando Mandragora curled a right-footed effort from 20 yards but it struck the post.

It would be the one-cap Italian international’s last contribution as pulled a muscle with his effort.

With three minutes of added time, Jack Bodenham and Danny Davies were solid as a rock with timely interventions when Fiorentina looked ready to score.

The half-time whistle came a relief to TNS and to jeers from the home crowd.

The second period was the same one-way traffic as the Italian giants rained crosses into TNS’s box but the Welsh champions remained firm.

Ten minutes after the restart, Bradley was presented with a chance that took even him by surprise and the ball didn’t settle, allowing Fiorentina to break leading to Dany Williams picking up a caution for a professional foul.

Former Everton striker Kean was part of a triple substitution for the home side as Raffaele Palladino looked to put the pressure on Saints.

TNS ticked off another milestone as they reached the hour mark without being breached but the home attacks kept coming.

But the resistance was broken five minutes later when Fiorentina finally scored with Frenchman Adli’s left-footed effort was swept home at the second attempt.

And La Viola doubled their lead minutes later when Kean scored, also at the second attempt when he smashed home on the line after Roberts’s initial save.

Saints' hopes of a comeback were raised when, with 15 minutes to go, Josh Daniels's cross-cum-shot evaded sub Declan McManus and was collected by home keeper Pietro Terracciano.

Kean, much maligned during his spell in English football, missed a chance easier than his actual goal when he somehow contrived to miss from half a yard, as Roberts recovered.

Harrison turned to his bench once more to give his two longest serving players their reward of European group stage football as Ryan Brobbel and Adrian Cieslewicz were given a 15-minute run out.

Roberts made another fine save in the dying embers of the game, capping off his man-of-the-match performance.

TNS: Roberts, Daniels, Davies, Bodenham, Redmond (Brobbel 81), Holden, Smith, Williams, Bradley (Marshall 61), Wilson (Cieslewicz 81), Clark (McManus 67)

Subs not used: Edwards (GK), Pask, Woollam, Baker, Hudson, Canavan, Jones

Star Player – Connor Roberts.