Jovetic too hot to handle for Reds

Two first-half strikes by Steven Jovetic earned Fiorentina a memorable victory against Liverpool FC and their first points in UEFA Champions League Group E.

Without the suspended Alberto Gilardino, the weight of the Italian side's attacking expectations rested on the young Montenegrin's shoulders.
 
The teenager responded superbly, beating the offside trap and Pepe Reina on 28 minutes before turning Juan Vargas's driven cross past the Spanish goalkeeper eight minutes before half-time.
 
The opening exchanges were tentative, two packed midfields taking their time to feel each other out, but the match sprang to life on the quarter-hour mark when Jovetic raced on to a fine through ball by Riccardo Montolivo down the left.
 
The No.8 reached the area but as he shaped to shoot Martin Skrtel made a crucial covering tackle. The visitors failed to clear the ensuing corner and Jovetic's inviting cross was met by a spectacular Marco Marchionni scissor-kick which fizzed narrowly over the bar.
 
Marchionni caused Liverpool problems throughout with his pace and movement and was at the hub of all things Viola, for whom Cristiano Zanetti and Montolivo were also laying down a marker in midfield. Another move instigated by Marchionni resulted in Jovetic chancing his arm from distance.
 
On that occasion the forward's aim was awry, but in the 28th minute it was true as Cristiano Zanetti picked out the 19-year-old, played onside by Emiliano Insúa, who rolled the ball past Reina.
 
Liverpool charged forward in a bid to end the sustained pressure but that only left them exposed at the back, Montolivo finding the room to play a diagonal pass to Vargas, who, in spite of an unfavourable angle, forced a fine save out of Reina with a vicious 20-metre shot.
 
Perhaps buoyed by that effort, the home side were soon celebrating a second goal. Another fine run and cross by Marchionni down the right could only be headed into the path of Vargas by Skrtel and the Peruvian's fierce centre was expertly flicked in by Jovetic.
 
Liverpool began the second half with purpose, producing three goal attempts within five minutes of the restart. Yossi Benayoun led the charge, testing Sebastien Frey at his near post after anticipating Gianluca Comotto's misplaced header.
 
Lucas sent a thudding header over a minute later and Frey saved from Dirk Kuyt as the Premier League side took the game to the Viola.
 
As the half wore on the pressure increased, Torres denied twice by the determined Gamberini, one a last-ditch tackle in the area which needed to be perfectly timed.
 
The striker sent another other opportunity over the bar after meeting Skrtel's right-wing cross first time, and with it went Liverpool's slender hopes of a comeback as they lost in the group stage for the first time since October 2007, a 2-1 defeat by Besiktas.

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