Soccer Football - Coppa Italia - Semi Final - First Leg - Fiorentina v Atalanta - Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy - April 3, 2024 Fiorentina's Rolando Mandragora celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
FLORENCE, Italy (Reuters) -Fiorentina edged a step closer to another Coppa Italia final with a 1-0 home win over Atalanta in the first leg of their semi-final on Wednesday, courtesy of a first-half strike by midfielder Rolando Mandragora.
Fiorentina, who lost last year's final to Inter Milan 2-1, are looking to lift the club's first trophy since they won the cup in 2001.
Mandragora put Vincenzo Italiano's men in front in the 31st minute with a brilliant shot from outside the box, which ricocheted in off the post.
His goal, sent into the net from 27.6 metres, is the longest-distance goal scored by Fiorentina this season across all competitions.
Their previous goal from a longer distance was Cristiano Biraghi's 53-metre strike against Hellas Verona in February 2023 in Serie A.
Fiorentina, who have reached the competition's semi-finals in three consecutive seasons for the first time, had the upper hand in the game but only four of their 20 attempts were on target.
They could have doubled their advantage before the hour mark through winger Nicolas Gonzalez, who struck what seemed an unstoppable header, but Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi stretched full length to tip the shot aside.
Atalanta had one of their best chances of an equaliser in the 66th minute when Ademola Lookman played Mitchel Bakker inside the box but the Dutch defender sent the ball narrowly wide of the far post.
"The final is not one step away, even if we had scored another goal it would have been tough anyway," Italiano told Mediaset.
"Atalanta at home close you in your own half... We know that we will have to play an amazing match there."
Juventus earned a 2-0 advantage over Lazio in the first semi-final on Tuesday.
The return legs will be played on April 23 and 24 before Rome's Stadio Olimpico hosts the final on May 15.
The winner of the competition earns a Europa League group-stage spot.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon)
