FLORENCE: Strikers Adrian Mutu and Alberto Gilardino scored as Fiorentina took a big step towards the group stage of the UEFA Champions League with a 2-0 win over Slavia Prague.

Fiorentina's clean sheet on Tuesday augurs well for the return leg of this third qualifying tie in Prague in two weeks' time.

Romanian Mutu set the Stadio Artemio Franchi alight in the third minute when he curled a superb right-footed free kick into the top corner from 30 metres out. Former AC Milan forward Gilardino, one of several new arrivals making their competitive debuts for the Florence club, put the hosts in charge in the 57th minute when he headed home after the ball bounced around the penalty area from a corner.

The Czech title-holders, who knocked out Ajax in the preliminaries to make their debut appearance in the Champions League group stage last season, struggled to pose a threat.

AFP