Joaquin’s late goal finally broke 10-man Napoli’s resolve and saw Fiorentina close to within seven points of third place in Serie A.
The two clubs were keen to react to Europa League exits in midweek and the match at Stadio San Paolo offered a shot at redemption and rich rewards to both parties.
Rafael Benitez’s men were aiming to pull 13 points clear in the pursuit of the final Champions League spot, which Fiorentina are chasing and can still reach over the run-in.
Any number of players could have unlocked the frantic encounter after Faouzi Ghoulam was sent off but it fell to Spanish winger Joaquin to force the 1-0 win with a header at the death.
Elsewhere, Sampdoria put Hellas Verona to the sword and climbed towards the top half of the Serie A table with a resounding 5-0 victory at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
The Genoese club took full advantage of a limp Verona side who appear to have given up somewhat after reaching 40 points and effectively securing a second season in the top flight.
Two goals from Roberto Soriano plus efforts from Gianluca Sansone, Renan and Angelo Palombo steered Samp to their best victory of the season so far and they are now within two points of catching 10th-placed Torino.
Meanwhile, Giacomo Bonaventura punished Mauro Icardi’s failure to grab Inter Milan all three points at San Siro by doing so himself for upwardly-mobile Atalanta.
Icardi equalised almost immediately after Bonaventura opened the scoring shortly before halftime but the Argentinian shot wide of an open goal with two minutes remaining.
Bonaventura duly headed home the winner and it finished 2-1 as Atalanta registered a fourth straight victory that moved them into ninth place in the Serie A table.
Antonio Di Natale was the only man to get onto the scoresheet as Udinese claimed a 1-0 win over Serie A strugglers Sassuolo.
Parma missed the chance to move up to fourth in the Serie A standings after being held at home to a 1-1 draw by Genoa.
Isaac Cofie gave the visitors a lead which lasted just 10 minutes before Ezequiel Schelotto levelled.
Leaders Juventus restored their 14-point cushion at the top with a 1-0 win at Catania. Dani Osvaldo set up Carlos Tevez for the game’s only goal on 59 minutes.
In the other late game, Cristian Ledesma denied AC Milan a much needed win as he claimed Lazio’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Abdoulay Konko’s own goal had given the Rossoneri the lead.
