Serie A title race loses significance after Fiorentina player collapses on field
MILAN (AP) — The Italian league title race didn’t seem so important on Sunday after a player collapsed on the field during a Serie A match.
League leader Napoli had won 1-0 at Torino earlier in the day and was waiting to see how its rivals would fare, especially Fiorentina and Inter Milan, which were playing each other later Sunday and were just four points behind.
However, Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove fell to the ground in the 16th minute of the match, which was abandoned shortly afterward with the scoreline at 0-0.
The 22-year-old Italian was swiftly stretchered off to an ambulance and taken to hospital, where he is in a medically induced coma.
Fiorentina said initial tests have “ruled out acute damage to the central nervous system and the cardio-respiratory system” and that Bove will be re-evaluated in the next 24 hours.
Fiorentina players were distraught on the field and were comforted by staff members as well as Inter players. Several were openly sobbing before both teams filed off the field.
Napoli on top
Napoli will end the weekend still top of a tight Serie A table, while at least two of its rivals dropped points.
Scott McTominay scored the only goal of the match in the first half as Napoli pulled away from one of its closest rivals as Lazio lost 3-1 at relegation-threatened Parma.
Lazio stayed on 28 points along with Atalanta, Inter and Fiorentina, while Napoli moved onto 32. Atalanta visits Roma on Monday.
Juventus was also on 28 points after substitute Ante Rebic leveled in stoppages to snatch a 1-1 draw for Lecce.
It was an entertaining match at Torino where Napoli broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia kept possession as he made his way into the area from the left before laying the ball off to McTominay for the Scotland midfielder to drive into the near bottom corner.
Torino should have leveled almost immediately when Saul Coco just had to bundle the ball into an empty net from close range but somehow fell over it instead.
Napoli had numerous chances to extend its advantage but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic was in impressive form in the Torino goal.
Surprise loss
Lazio’s run of seven straight wins had been brought to an end by a draw against Ludogorets in the Europa League midweek and it was worse on Sunday as it fell to its first loss since October.
Lazio had two goals disallowed and a penalty revoked after a VAR check in a frustrating first half for the visitors.
Parma inched four points clear of the drop zone with the win.
First win for Vieira
Patrick Vieira recorded his first win as Genoa coach with a 2-0 victory at Udinese, which played almost the entire match with 10 men.
Udinese defender Isaak Touré’s match lasted just 120 seconds before he was sent off for elbowing Genoa’s Alessandro Zanoli in the face.
Andrea Pinamonti fired Genoa in front in the 13th minute and an own-goal from Udinese defender Lautaro Giannetti in the second half all but sealed the result.
Vieira was hired during the international break to replace the fired Alberto Gilardino and his debut last week ended in a 2-2 draw against Cagliari.
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By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer
