Wanderers gave themselves a confidence-booster ahead of the new season with an impressive fightback to earn a draw against top-flight Italian opposition, writes Pete Oliver.
Fiorentina – who finished eighth in Serie A last season and reached the final of the Europa Conference League for the second year in a row – led through Croatia international Josip Brekalo’s 20th-minute strike.
But Wanderers were uncowed and played their way back into an entertaining contest with some high-quality football of their own which brought a deserved second-half equaliser from Victor Adeboyejo and ended with the Whites on top amid a flurry of yellow cards.
Fiorentina knew they had been in a game in the first of three fixtures they are playing as part of their Preston-based training camp.
And a decent crowd of close to 7,000 will also have enjoyed their first home sighting of the summer of Ian Evatt’s re-shaped side which is building nicely towards the start of their League One campaign in a fortnight’s time.
With games to follow against Preston North End and Hull City, the Italians utilised much of their squad.
And there was no shortage of quality on show, with former Everton and Juventus striker Moise Kean given an early chance to make a mark following his summer signing by the Violets.
The Italy international was given a clear sight of goal just three minutes in but dragged his effort wide and Fiorentina’s Pietro Terracciano was the first goalkeeper called into action when he got down well to keep out a low strike from Aaron Collins following a neat link-up with Adeboyejo.
Wanderers looked a danger whenever they won the ball back high up the pitch, although the visitors were always lively on the break and a one-two with Kean gave captain Cristiano Biraghi a shooting chance which produced a fine save from Nathan Baxter at full stretch.
The pace of France international Jonathan Ikone provided Fiorentina with another threat, while Alessandro Bianco was a lively presence in midfield who helped produce the opening goal.
The Italy U21 international made another forceful run but still needed a bit of luck to squeeze out a deflected cross for Brekalo to fire home.
It was high-tempo stuff and Wanderers more than played their part with a positive response to twice go close to an equaliser before half-time.
The Whites’ fluid front free caused problems for the Italians’ defence which was also stretched by Josh Dacres-Cogley down the right-hand side.
An excellent cross from Dacres-Cogley picked out Adeboyejo for a header which was blocked in front of goal before the ball was laid back by Klaidi Lolos for Max Conway to shoot over the top.
And Evatt’s men then had an even better chance when George Thomason led a typical break from midfield and slipped in Collins to tee up Lolos for an effort he clipped against the bar with plenty of the target to hit.
Sadly for Collins that was his last meaningful action before picking up an injury and being replaced at half-time by Scott Arfield to make his first home appearance in a Wanderers’ shirt.
The Whites maintained the momentum in a bright start to the second half with Thomason and Josh Sheehan orchestrating things with some high-calibre passing and Arfield almost opening the door for Adeboyejo.
But from being close to getting level, Wanderers were almost two down in the blink of an eye as Kean got in behind the Whites’ defence before steering a shot against the outside of the far post.
Niccolo Fortini was more accurate moments later but Baxter made another smart save and having survived those two scares Wanderers deservedly made it 1-1 with 25 minutes to go.
Conway’s free-kick wasn’t dealt with by Terraccioano and after Ricardo Almeida Santos kept the ball alive, Adeboyejo swivelled to rifle the ball home with a sharp finish.
The competitive nature of the contest was summed by bookings for George Johnston, who announced his return to home soil for the first time in over 12 months with a thundering challenge on Keane, and Luca Ranieri for a petulant foul on Thomason.
Dodo also went into the book as Fiorentina found themselves rattled by Wanderers’ desire to keep pushing to the end.
And with just two warm-up games to go against Stoke City on Tuesday night and at Port Vale on Saturday-week, the Whites’ strong finish has them pointing firmly in the right direction.
Wanderers: Baxter; Toal, Almedia Santos, Forrester (Johnston 71); Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan (Morley 71), Conway (Iredale 71); Lolos, Adeboyejo, Collins. Substitutes: Khumbeni, Matheson, Sharples-Ahmed.
Booked: Johnston
Fiorentina: Terracciano; Comuzzo, Ranieri, Biraghi; Ikone, Barak, Bianco, Fortini; Caprini, Brwkalo; Kean. Substitutes used: Amatucci, Rubino, Dodo, Kayode, Kouadio, Mandragora, Kouame, Krastev, Sottil.
Booked: Ranieri, Rubino, Dodo
Referee: Bobby Madley
Attendance: 6,862