Cataldi promises hospitalized teammate Bove a goal and delivers as Fiorentina wins 8th straight

ROME (AP) — Danilo Cataldi texted hospitalized Fiorentina teammate Edoardo Bove to say that he would score for him Sunday and then fulfilled his promise in a 1-0 win over Cagliari on Sunday.

It was Fiorentina’s first Serie A match since Bove collapsed on the field during a game against Inter Milan last weekend and was placed in a medically induced coma.

The 22-year-old has been awake and alert since last Monday as doctors continue to investigate the cause of his collapse.

Cataldi found the top corner midway through the first half and that was all Fiorentina needed for its eighth straight win in the Italian league to match the club record set in 1960.

After he scored, Cataldi ran toward a TV camera, held up four fingers to match Bove’s No. 4 jersey then created a heart symbol with his fingers as he shouted, “I told you. I told you.”

“I texted him before the match, saying: ‘Watch the game on TV because I’m going to score a goal into the top corner,’” Cataldi said. “He said it was ‘impossible.’ We’re pleased that he’s feeling well and about these three points.”

Fiorentina, which has a game in hand since the match against Inter was abandoned, moved level on points with third-place Inter. Fiorentina is three points behind new leader Atalanta, which is on a nine-game winning streak, and one point behind second-place Napoli, which was beaten 1-0 at home by Lazio.

Gustav Isaksen scored for Lazio with a long-range shot late in the second half.

Lazio also moved level on points with Inter and Fiorentina.

Napoli had led for most of the season under first-year coach Antonio Conte but has now lost at home to both Atalanta and Lazio.

Lazio has won six of its last seven matches.

Also, Empoli won 4-1 at Hellas Verona and moved up to ninth; and Venezia and Como drew 2-2.

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