Mastantuono Hat-Trick Powers Fiorentina to 4-2 Win in Vanoli's Return

Three goals, eight shots, and a 4-2 victory that pulled a club out of a tailspin—Franco Mastantuono's Friday night at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo was a masterclass in immediate impact. The 19-year-old Argentine erased an early deficit with a rapid-fire brace and completed his hat-trick late in the second half, handing Fiorentina their first points of the 2026-27 Serie A season. The result snapped a three-match losing streak that had left the Tuscan club anchored to the bottom of the table.[1][2]

The victory arrived just four days after Fiorentina's front office triggered a drastic early-season reset. Following a disastrous start that included a 4-0 loss to Roma and back-to-back home defeats to Frosinone and Torino, the club dismissed head coach Fabio Grosso on Monday. In his place, they recalled Paolo Vanoli, the manager who had guided the squad to safety during a similarly turbulent 2025-26 campaign. Vanoli inherited a roster devoid of confidence and tasked with securing a result on the road against a desperate opponent.[1][3]

For the opening quarter of the match, the managerial change appeared to have altered little on the pitch. Venezia, who entered the fixture also searching for their first point of the season, capitalized on Fiorentina's fragile defensive shape in the 22nd minute. Midfielder Gianluca Busio found space to operate in the final third and slipped a precise pass to Nigerian forward Akor Adams, who finished clinically to give the hosts a 1-0 lead and ignite the home crowd.[1][2]

The momentum shifted entirely on the shoulders of Mastantuono, who arrived in Florence this summer on a high-profile loan deal from Real Madrid. Operating with freedom from the right flank, the teenager equalized in the 29th minute. He cut inside onto his favored left foot, evaded his marker with a sharp drop of the shoulder, and drove a low, fizzing strike past Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic to level the score. It was a moment of individual brilliance that immediately settled the visitors' nerves.[1][2][3]

Less than sixty seconds later, Mastantuono struck again to completely invert the match's trajectory. Capitalizing on a severe defensive breakdown by the hosts, he collected a loose ball inside the penalty area and placed his second effort into the opposite corner via the post, despite Stankovic's desperate dive. In the span of two breathless minutes, Fiorentina had transformed a looming fourth consecutive defeat into a 2-1 halftime advantage, leaving the Venezia defense visibly stunned and struggling for answers.[2][5]

Venezia pressed for an equalizer early in the second half, with John Yeboah missing a clear header from the center of the penalty area that would have leveled the match. Fiorentina absorbed the pressure and punished the hosts on the counter-attack in the 66th minute. Substitute Mateo Pellegrino raced onto a clearance from Nicolò Fagioli deep inside his own half, driving clear of the high defensive line to slot a left-footed finish into the bottom corner for a commanding 3-1 lead.[1][5]

Mastantuono sealed his historic performance in the 84th minute to put the result beyond any doubt. After Stankovic parried his initial attempt, the ball rebounded directly back to the Argentine, who bundled it over the line to complete his treble. At 19 years old, he became the youngest player in Fiorentina's history to score a Serie A hat-trick, breaking a club record held by Claudio Desolati since 1974, and the ninth-youngest to achieve the feat in the history of the Italian top flight.[2][3]

The underlying metrics of Mastantuono's performance underscored his absolute dominance on the night. According to Sofascore, the teenager registered eight total shots, delivered four key passes, and completed three of his four attempted dribbles, earning a near-perfect match rating of 9.9. His ability to dictate the tempo in the final third provided Fiorentina with a focal point they had sorely lacked during the opening weeks of the season, validating the club's aggressive push to secure his signature over the summer.[3]

Speaking to broadcasters after the final whistle, Vanoli emphasized that the squad's raw ability must be paired with relentless tactical discipline if they are to climb the table. "We have a squad that intrigues me because it is talented, but talent alone doesn't get you anywhere," the returning manager said. "We have to become a team first and teach these youngsters that in Italian football, if you don't run for your teammate, you will struggle. I came back to Florence because this squad really excites me."[5]

Mastantuono himself deflected praise toward the collective effort, despite his record-breaking evening and the media attention it generated. "For me it is an honor to enter the history of such a prestigious club," he told reporters in the mixed zone. "It was important to find the result, today we played a great game. I am happy for the victory as well as for the goals." He specifically highlighted the defensive work rate of his teammates, which allowed the attackers to flourish in transition.[5]

A late volley from French midfielder Antoine Hainaut in the 86th minute reduced the deficit to 4-2, but it offered little consolation for a Venezia side in absolute freefall. Giovanni Stroppa's squad has now conceded at least two goals in six consecutive matches dating back to the previous campaign. They remain rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points and 11 goals allowed through four fixtures, raising immediate questions about their defensive viability and their capacity to survive in the top flight.[1][5]

Fiorentina's victory lifts them to 15th place, providing a vital injection of belief ahead of a demanding autumn schedule across domestic competitions. The immediate crisis has been averted, and the squad finally has a foundational performance to build upon. Vanoli's mandate to forge a cohesive unit out of his young roster will be tested again next weekend, when they return to the Stadio Artemio Franchi to prove this turnaround was not a one-night anomaly, but the start of a genuine revival.[1]