Zeki Amdouni strikes late to earn Basel first-leg victory in Europa Conference League semi-final

Fiorentina lost 2-1 at home to FC Basel in the first leg of their Europa Conference League tie on Thursday evening in Florence. Fiorentina’s only European trophy win came in 1961 as winners of the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Ad Basel meanwhile have managed a quarter-final appearance in the Champions League, and reached the last 16 of this competition last year. Europa LeagueRoma, Juve and Bayer into Europa League semi-finals20/04/2023 AT 21:54 Reaching the final for either team would be a huge achievement on the continental stage for them, and with Basel fifth in the Swiss Super League, and Fiorentina in eighth in Serie A, winning the Conference League is perhaps their best chance of claiming a Europa League spot for next season.

The Italians had beaten Lech Poznan in the quarter-finals, with Basel defeating French side Nice in their match-up. With home advantage, Fiorentina went ahead midway through the first half through Arthur Cabral, and the hosts enjoyed almost two-thirds of possession in the first half.

In the second half, the Swiss team enjoyed more of the ball as the match wore on, and on 71 minutes they had their equaliser as Andy Diouf scored a stunning solo goal after picking the ball up on the halfway line, driving forward and slotting home from the edge of the box. They kept pushing and were rewarded with a winner in the 92nd minute through Zeki Amdouni who volleyed home from 10 yards.

The second leg will be played in Basel, next Thursday evening, with the winners going on to play the victors from the West Ham v AZ Alkmaar tie — with The Hammers 2-1 up from the first leg. Europa LeagueJuventus and Feyenoord earn slender first-leg leads in Europa League13/04/2023 AT 22:02 TransfersManchester United could return for