MILAN — Serie A surprise package Fiorentina fought back twice to level in a 2-2 draw with Torino as Roma stayed in touch with the pacesetters thanks to a precious 1-0 win away to struggling Pescara Sunday. Fiorentina had the chance to leapfrog Inter Milan into second place behind leader Juventus, which was away to AC Milan in Sunday's late match. But in the end La Viola was happy to settle for a share of the points after Moroccan striker Mounir El Hamdaoui produced a superb late equalizer which took its unbeaten run to eight games. Already without Stevan Jovetic, who is on his way back from injury, Fiorentina almost lost another striker in Luca Toni when the big Italian fell victim to a spectacular clash of heads on the half hour. However, it was Torino defender Kamil Glik, who came running in to challenge for a corner and instead smashed his head hard into Toni's, who came worse off. He was left lying on the ground receiving treatment for several minutes before being carried off on a stretcher. Torino was keeping Fiorentina on its toes and took a deserved lead through former Fiorentina striker Alessio Cerci, whose first-timer beat Emiliano Viviani in goal. Toni, still appearing dazed, came off to be replaced by Haris Seferovic two minutes later. Fiorentina was handed a lifeline when a penalty was awarded after Colombian Juan Cuadrado was clipped as he weaved his way into the area and Gonzalo Rodriguez stepped up to send Jean-Francois Gillet the wrong way. Torino, however, restored its lead only moments later when Viviani failed to reach a speculative shot by Valter Birsa, who whipped in a cross from the right wing only to see the ball land in the net. Fiorentina was handed another lifeline when El Hamdaoui collected Cuadrado's square ball inside the area to turn and beat Gillet with a powerful angled drive. Roma, meanwhile, kept up with the pacesetters thanks to Mattia Destro, who got his foot to a rebound from Pescara'keeper Mattia Perin following a free kick to send the ball home in the fifth minute. The Giallorossi's seventh win of the season means it remains in sixth. There was movement, however, at the other end of the table. Struggler Genoa secured a shock 1-0 win away to Atalanta, thanks to Andrea Bertolacci's 40th minute strike, to move off the bottom. Sampdoria moved up three places to 12th, one place ahead of AC Milan thanks to a 1-0 home win against 10-man Bologna. Bologna's ninth defeat of the campaign leaves it second from bottom with 11 points from 14 games, the same as basement side Pescara. In other games third from bottom Siena held Chievo, which sits one place above, to a scoreless draw. — Agencies
