Fiorentina surge past Benevento in dominant Coppa Italia display

Fiorentina made their Coppa Italia intentions clear from the opening moments, racing into an early lead through Aron Guðmundsson after just two minutes. The winger's quick finish set the tone for a first half that increasingly favoured the hosts, who controlled possession and dictated the tempo. By the 35th minute, Moise Kean doubled the advantage to give Fiorentina a commanding position at the interval.

The second half proved even more devastating for the visitors. Luca Ranieri extended Fiorentina's lead within three minutes of the restart, and Chérif Ndour added a fourth goal by the 50th minute to effectively settle the contest. Benevento pulled one back through Daniele Lamesta in the 54th minute, but it merely offered consolation in what had become a one-sided affair. The away side never threatened a serious comeback despite the goal, and Fiorentina's dominance was complete.

Fiorentina's attacking output was clinical and efficient throughout. The hosts moved the ball with pace and precision, exploiting spaces in Benevento's defence repeatedly and creating genuine problems from the first whistle. Benevento struggled to impose themselves on the match and offered little resistance to their opponents' superior quality and intensity.

The 4-1 victory sends Fiorentina through to the next round with significant momentum, their clinical finishing and defensive control establishing them as serious contenders in this competition. For Benevento, the defeat represents a difficult start to their cup campaign, and they will need to regroup quickly ahead of their remaining fixtures.