(Reuters) - Defender Vitor Hugo's thumping header gave Fiorentina a 1-0 win over Benevento in an emotional Serie A encounter at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, the home side's first game since the sudden death of their captain Davide Astori a week ago. As tears flowed down the cheeks of fans in the stands, balloons in violet and white were released into the air, and in the 13th minute the ball was put out of play as Fiorentina fans raised flags and engaged in a minute of applause. Brazilian Hugo celebrated the 25th-minute goal, his first for Fiorentina, by holding up a t-shirt bearing an image of fellow defender Astori before standing in front of it and saluting. Fiorentina could have added a second in stoppage time at the end of the second half as Milan Badelj hammered a shot from distance off the post, and Marco Benassi somehow blazed the rebound over the bar. The win moves Fiorentina up into ninth on 38 points ahead of the rest of Sunday's games, which includes the clash between leaders Napoli and fourth-placed Inter Milan at the San Siro in the late kickoff.

Source: The Star March 11, 2018 13:52 UTC