Bologna won their first game since firing Sinisa Mihajlovic, as Musa Barrow and Marko Arnautovic overcame Lucas Martinez-opener Quarta’s to defeat Fiorentina.
The Rossoblu were in disarray after firing coach Mihajlovic, a decision that enraged fans after three-and-a-half years together and a bond that became stronger during his leukemia treatment. Thiago Motta, the new manager, was in the grandstand, although caretaker Luca Vigiani was on the bench.
Fiorentina was missing Nico Gonzalez, Alfred Duncan, Nikola Milenkovic, and Gaetano Castrovilli, while Adama Soumaoro, Nicolas Dominguez, and Nicola Sansone were sidelined. Following the 1-1 Conference League match with RFS Riga, confidence was low.
Lucas Martinez-Quarta stopped a Roberto Soriano counter-attack, and Giacomo Bonaventura fired over after dummying Michel Aebischer to the ground.
Dodo was stretchered out on the stroke of half-time with what appeared to be a serious calf strain after Lukasz Skorupski leapt to fingertip a Martinez-Quarta header over the bar.
Jhon Lucumi charged down Christian Kouame’s finish after he dribbled past two in the box.
After a corner fell to substitute Riccardo Saponara, he juggled it past Stefan Posch and rolled across the face of goal, past Luka Jovic and Skorupski, ready for Martinez-Quarta to come tumbling in.
Arnautovic equalized for Bologna by hooking the ball back over his head near the touchline.
Bologna equalised when Arnautovic hooked the ball back over his head at the touchline and Igor was completely in the wrong position, allowing Musa Barrow to break away and sweep past Pietro Terracciano one-on-one. It was the first goal the Rossoblu scored this season that was not from Arnautovic.
Moments later, Bologna turned the game around completely with Denso Kasius robbing Martinez-Quarta and rolling a ball across the face of goal for Arnautovic to meet at the far post. There was controversy, as Kasius caught Martinez-Quarta on the back of the head with an elbow, but VAR after a long evaluation opted not to suggest an on-field review
Arnautovic threatened again when acrobatically trying to flick a Soriano assist, but Terracciano got a hand to it and the centre-forward pulled up clutching his hamstring.
Gary Medel bravely charged down a Bonaventura volley with his face, while Terracciano smothered at the feet of Riccardo Orsolini and Barrow curled just wide.
Igor saw red deep into stoppages for his second yellow card, a late lunge on Lorenzo De Silvestri.
