Fiorentina 2-1 Livorno

Fiorentina left it late as they bounced back from their Champions League setback with a Serie A victory over Livorno.

The Viola were controversially beaten 2-1 by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Wednesday when Miroslav Klose's late winner was allowed to stand despite the striker clearly being offside.

Cesare Prandelli's side went into this match in desperate need of a victory, having not won a game since January 10 and with the coach coming under real pressure for the first time since taking the reins in 2005.

They would have fancied their chances of ending that run against Livorno, who are battling to avoid relegation, but it was the visitors who struck first through Nelson Rivas in the 36th minute.

Fiorentina levelled through Juan Vargas just after the hour mark and they took all three points thanks to Alberto Gilardino's header 12 minutes from time. The visitors also finished with 10 men after Rivas was shown a straight red card for dissent.

The victory lifted the hosts up to 10th place, six points off European qualification.

Livorno could have taken the lead as early as the seventh minute when Cristiano Lucarelli found space in the area but saw his effort smack the crossbar.

Fiorentina breathed a sigh of relief and then threatened themselves when Marco Marchionni found Stevan Jovetic only for visiting keeper Rubinho to pull off a good save.

Marchionni should have put the hosts ahead in the 13th minute but wasted a great chance when he missed the target from close range.

It was then Sebastien Frey's turn to save his side when he denied Davide Marchini.

Gilardino had his first sighting of goal in the 18th minute when Jovetic picked him out from a corner for a great volley but Rubinho was again up to the task.

Gilardino had another chance on the half-hour mark but could not get enough on his shot to beat the keeper before Jovetic skimmed the left-hand post from 25 yards.

But it was Livorno who stunned their hosts nine minutes from half-time, Rivas finding the top corner with a superb free-kick.

The visitors could have doubled their lead in the 56th minute but Frey got down well to keep out Lucarelli's long-ranger.

And six minutes later Fiorentina were level. A poor kick from Rubinho presented the ball to Vargas and he capitalised fully with a pin-point shot from 30 yards.

Livorno then found themselves a man down with 23 minutes still to play as Rivas was red-carded for using foul and abusive language towards the referee.

Fiorentina sensed the win was there for the taking and Rubinho had to be alert to twice deny Gilardino in quick succession.

But there was nothing he could when Vargas picked out the Italy striker in the 78th minute and he powered a header into the top corner.

Adem Ljajic and Gilardino could both have extended the hosts' lead but in the end they were grateful to Frey for the three points after he dived full length to deny Davide Di Gennaro in the second minute of stoppage time.