Soccer-Fiorentina win thanks to two stunning Kalinic goals

MILAN, Dec 12 ( Reuters) - Nikola Kalinic netted with an outrageous volley and a cheeky backheel to help Fiorentina beat Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A on Monday.

The Croatian opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a technically brilliant effort.

Josip Ilicic's free kick hit the Sassuolo wall before looping into the penalty area and, as it dropped over Kalinic's shoulder, he managed to hook it into the opposite corner of the goal.

Six minutes before halftime Federico Chiesa sent a low cross into the penalty box and Kalinic flicked the ball in with his heel for his eighth league goal of the season.

Francesco Acerbi pulled one back for sixth from bottom Sassuolo in the 76th minute, scoring from 10 metres after the ball had ricocheted around in the area.

Seventh-placed Fiorentina had to endure a nervy finale and Federico Ricci almost equalised with a long-range volley but Ciprian Tatarusanu managed to grab the ball under the crossbar. (Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Tony Jimenez)