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Christian Vieri's 200th Italian goal and a cheeky Adrian Mutu spot-kick allowed Fiorentina to defeat plucky Torino 2-1.
A Toro side in crisis came to the Stadio Franchi without Matteo Rubin, Tommaso Vailatti, Nicola Ventola, Alessandro Rosina, Marco Motta and Gianluca Comotto, while Alvaro Recoba, Simone Barone and Matteo Sereni were struggling with physical ailments. The Viola had no such problems, as Cesare Prandelli found it difficult to choose between all the forwards at his disposal after Giampaolo Pazzini bagged a brace in the midweek Coppa Italia win over Ascoli. Only Dario Dainelli missed out because of injury.
Last season this fixture ended 5-1 to the home side and Torino haven't won here since a 1-0 on Halloween 1976.
Torino defended well early on and Fiorentina only managed to create their first real scoring opportunity after 18 minutes. Mario Alberto Santana was sent clear by a threaded pass and Matteo Sereni did well to get down and parry the low drive.
Moments later Sereni palmed a Christian Vieri effort round the post from distance, while Cesare Natali showed his power in the air to anticipate Vieri and Adrian Mutu.
Riccardo Montolivo's shot was charged down, then a free kick was touched on for Vieri to cannon wide of the near post with the aid of a deflection. From the resulting corner a Mutu bullet header was straight at Sereni.
In first half stoppages the referee pointed to the spot for Marco Di Loreto's challenge on Mutu. Vieri decided to take penalty duties because he was seeking his 200th goal on Italian soil and sent Sereni the wrong way to celebrate that historic landmark.
After the restart Toro remained in their shell and Montolivo drilled wide from the edge of the box. It needed a special moment to break this balance and it came from Vincenzo Grella.
A Torino free kick was chipped up for Sasa Bjelanovic's header back and Grella smashed a low first-time strike in off the inside of the far post. It was a splendid individual goal from the Australian international and effectively the Granata's first attempt.
Fabio Liverani should have equalised from Mutu's cutback, but the ball fell on his weaker right foot and he ballooned it off target from nine yards.
Sereni was at full stretch to fingertip a dangerous Santana cross off the feet of Vieri as the veteran prepared to tap in from close range. Mutu had a couple of efforts from distance.
Fiorentina had another golden opportunity to draw level. Substitute Kuzmanovic put in a good cross, but both Vieri and Mutu had their finishes charged down from point-blank range.
Yet Toro risked a shock lead as Bjelanovic's diving header was plucked out of the air by Sebastien Frey.
Moments later an absolutely crucial Sereni reaction save from point-blank range palmed away Mutu's header from a corner kick.
Mutu earned his second penalty of the match. The Romanian pounced on a horrible defensive error and as he lined up the shot Lanna crossed his path and probably accidentally tripped him up. Mutu took the spot-kick this time and cheekily chipped it over Sereni.
Substitute Martin Jorgensen almost gave the Viola a two-goal cushion, but once again Sereni excelled with a great reaction save on the Dane's downward header.
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