Mutu, Gilardino power Fiorentina past Slavia

Source: Agencies  |   2008-8-14  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

STRIKER Alberto Gilardino scored on his competitive debut to help Fiorentina to a comfortable 2-0 first leg win over Slavia Prague in their Champions League third qualifying round tie in Florence on Tuesday.

Gilardino, a close-season signing from AC Milan, nodded home on 58 minutes after the Czech champion had failed to clear a corner.

Strike partner Adrian Mutu, the subject of a bid from AS Roma last month, had given the Serie A side a third-minute lead when he curled a free kick into the top corner.

The Florence club, which beat Milan to the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot last term, missed a host of other chances in its first competitive game of the season with Gilardino going close three times.

Slavia, which won its first Czech title since 1996 in May, offered little in attack and will have an uphill battle in the second leg on August 27.

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has said that the club's new strike-force of Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane can be a match for any in Europe.

Benitez spent 19 million pounds (US$36.17 million) to sign Keane from Tottenham Hotspur and pair him with Torres, scorer of Spain's winning goal at Euro 2008, and he has high hopes of them.

"I think the two strikers are top class and on the same level as anyone," Benitez told a Tuesday news conference in Belgium on the eve of the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League third qualifying round tie at Standard Liege.

The statistics augur well for a partnership that should get its first competitive workout in Liege.

Torres scored 33 goals in all competitions in a memorable debut campaign at Anfield while Keane, Ireland's record scorer, hit over 100 goals in six seasons at Tottenham.

"Both players are clever and it is clear that if they play together for a long time, it will be easier for them to develop an understanding. I think they will be okay and can show their quality," Benitez said.