Lucas Beltran has scored a late penalty for Fiorentina as they secured a 1-1 second-leg draw at Membership Brugge to win their semi-final tie 4-3 on combination and safe back-to-back appearances within the Europa Convention League remaining.
The Italians led 3-2 from the primary leg in Florence, however Hans Vanaken levelled the tie with an early opener for Belgian facet Brugge on Wednesday.
However Fiorentina seemed the extra more likely to rating and after Christian Kouame twice struck the body of the objective, they have been awarded a penalty when Brandon Mechele’s excessive boot caught the face of M’Bala Nzola, permitting Beltran to stage on the night time with 5 minutes remaining.
Fiorentina, who misplaced to West Ham within the Convention League remaining final season, now face the winners of the second semi-final tie between Olympiakos and Aston Villa in Athens on Thursday. The Greek facet lead 4-2 from the primary leg.
Brugge had been hoping to achieve their first European remaining in 46 years, however have been second-best over each legs towards extra attack-minded opponents.
They squared the tie on combination when Vanaken’s depraved in-swinging cross from the left had the beating of everybody, together with teammate Maxim De Cuyper and Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano.
Kouame’s thunderous shot from the sting of the field struck the underside of the crossbar and stayed out by inches, earlier than the unfortunate Ivorian hit the body of the objective once more, this time with a header.
Fiorentina received the prospect to attain the objective they deserved after Mechele’s carelessness and Beltran supplied the knockout blow to the hosts.