Fiorentina are trailing 1-0 at half time in their Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash with Dynamo Kiev, despite dominating play in the Ukraine.
The match started in open fashion and it was the Italians who claimed the first attack, Milan Badelj latching on to a loose ball outside the box and blazing a shot over the bar.
Fiorentina felt that they should have been awarded a penalty in the 13th minute as Joaqin's strike appeared to hit Yevhen Khacheridi on the arm, but the referee saw nothing wrong with the defender's interception.
Mohamed Salah proved a handful for the Kiev defence in the first period and he almost lined up Mario Gomez for the opening goal in the 17th minute, the German smashing into the side-netting from a tight angle under pressure from his marker.
Kiev had a chance to open the scoring at the other end in the 25th minute as Jeremain Lens combined with Andriy Yarmolenko before testing Neto in the Fiorentina goal with a low strike that took a deflection on its way into the keeper's arms.
The Viola came close again just after the half-hour mark as Matias Fernandez played a one-two with Gomez before curling a shot just wide of the far post from outside the area.
The Ukrainians took the lead against the run of play in the 36th minute as Lens hit one from outside the box and beat Neto with the help of a wicked deflection that left the Brazilian stranded.
Fiorentina had the chance to level things up minutes before the break when they won a free kick in a dangerous position, but Fernandez's strike ricocheted behind and the two teams went into half time at 1-0.
Mark Langshaw
