| Fiorentina were kicking themselves after throwing away a 2-0 lead in the space of four minutes. Fiorentina were eager to continue the form that saw them beat Sampdoria in Week 1, but had to improve upon last year's away record of two wins, eight draws and nine defeats. Luca Toni was also on fire after his Italian international hat-trick midweek and returned to Sicily, where he had played for Palermo in the local derbies with Messina.
Within the first 30 seconds the Viola had gone close, Stefano Fiore volleying Toni's cross wide of the target. Soon after, Marco Storari had to deflect Valeri Bojinov's effort over with an outstretched foot and Toni drilled just over the bar.
The goal was in the air and it was Toni who scored it, his precise angled drive slotting into the far corner of the net.
Martin Jorgensen nearly made it 2-0 on 16 minutes, as his header from Toni's cross was kept out by Storari's point-blank reaction save. On the resulting corner, the Sicilian goalkeeper flew to palm Toni's header over the bar as it was a siege at the Stadio San Filippo.
Messina improved and Arturo Di Napoli's angled drive was fingertipped just round the far post.
But Fiorentina doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time with Bojinov. The ex-Lecce man intercepted a pass and unleashed a powerful strike into the far corner.
Into the second half, Storari turned a Fiore long-range effort round the post with Toni hovering to take advantage.
Messina got back into the running thanks to a defensive error. Di Napoli was allowed a completely free header on Ivica Iliev's cross, as the Viola defenders simply didn't attempt to jump.
Toni's header was just wide of the target, but Messina managed to equalise with two goals in four minutes. The offside trap failed on a deflected free kick and defender Andre Kpolo Zoro sidefooted into the top near corner to beat Frey.
In the final minutes, Frey proved decisive to earn Fiorentina a point by parrying Riccardo Zampagna's spectacular volley.
| 
