Europa League

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Europa League | Group Stage

Nov 26, 2015 at 6pm UK

Basel
2-2
Fiorentina

Suchy (40'), Elneny (74')

FT(HT: 1-2)

Bernardeschi (23', 36')
Roncaglia (26')

Basel come from two goals down to earn draw against ten-man Fiorentina

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 26 November 2015

Basel come from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against ten-man Fiorentina in Thursday night's Europa League Group I clash at St Jakob-Park.

Basel have come from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against ten-man Fiorentina in Thursday night's Europa League Group I clash at St Jakob-Park.

Fiorentina's Spanish midfielder Borja Valero (R) challenges Basel's Swiss midfielder Taulant Xhaka during the UEFA Europa League group I football match between Basel and Fiorentina at the St Jakob stadium in Basel on November 26, 2015. © Getty Images

The visitors were first to open the scoring when Federico Bernardeschi latched on to a precise through-ball from Borja Valero in the 23rd minute before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area.

Just three minutes later, however, the Viola suffered a major setback, with Facundo Roncaglia being shown a straight red card for a clumsy, unnecessary challenge.

Taulant Xhaka nearly put his side back on level terms with a shot from 25 yards out, but it was Fiorentina to notch up the next goal thanks to Bernardeschi's second strike of the game nine minutes before the break.

Nevertheless the hosts succeeded in halving the deficit when Marek Suchy found himself in the right place at the right time to get to a rebound inside the box and fire home.

Paulo Sousa's charges were quickest off the starting blocks in the second half, with Marcos Alonso coming close with an effort from a mid-range free kick, but the ball flew just wide of the right post.

Basel's man advantage proved too much for Fiorentina to handle, however, and in the 74th minute Mohamed Elneny controlled an incisive pass on the edge of the box and drilled a shot into the bottom right corner to earn his side a share of the spoils.