Bradford City fans' love affair with Benito Carbone deepened last night when their new hero played his first match for the Bantams.

City supporters cheered the 28-year-old Italian striker's every move as he displayed some of his wide-ranging skills against AC Fiorentina whose squad contained ten internationals.

Whether it was a short pass, long pass, cheeky sidestep, body swerve or shot at goal, they all won approval from Carbone's new admirers who turned up to watch him make his debut in this prestigious pre-season friendly.

Carbone, who has signed a four-year contract with City, played for the first 41 minutes before he was substituted by Robbie Blake.

He left the pitch to a standing ovation from the 4,487 crowd.

There was a buzz of anticipation every time Carbone got near the ball and his presence lifted the team who were more than a match for the classy Italians in a lively first half performance.

His first touch was an interception and then he raced on to a through pass only for goalkeeper Giuseppe Tagliatela to reach the ball a split second before him.

However, it was one of the heroes from last season - leading scorer Dean Windass - who briefly stole the limelight when he put City in front after 19 minutes.

The Italians' defence failed to clear Lee Sharpe's left wing corner and Peter Atherton headed the ball forward for Windass to turn it past the goalkeeper. It was his sixth goal in pre-season matches - four in the Intertoto Cup and two in friendlies.

Carbone then laid on a chance for his striking partner Windass with a neat flick, but Tagliatela flung himself to get in the way of the striker's superb first time shot.

Then, after Matt Clarke had blocked Paolo Vanoli's shot, Carbone had a genuine chance to score following a fine three-man move begun by Dan Petrescu.

The move ended with Sharpe laying the ball into the path of City's new boy who saw his shot deflected for a corner.

Fiorentina, managed by Fatih Terim who guided Turkish side Galatasaray to their UEFA Cup success last season, were content to play the game at a leisurely pace in the first half.

However, they stepped up the pressure after half-time as both sides made five substitutions, although the visitors' Portuguese internationals Rui Costa and Numo Gomes, their new £10million signing from Benfica, stayed on the bench.

Fiorentina equalised three minutes after the interval when some sloppy work by City led to Italian Under-21 international Marco Rossi scoring with a superbly executed 30-yard lob from the right touchline.

Clarke raced out of his goal to try to clear but the ball landed at Rossi's feet and defender Andy O'Brien on the line tried in vain to stop the ball going into the net.

Both sides continued to create chances, but the best one of all fell to City after 67 minutes when David Wetherall was pushed in the back by Tomas Repka as he tried to reach a corner. But substitute Peter Beagrie blazed the spot kick over the crossbar.

The classy Italians made City pay for the miss after 77 minutes when their two best players combined to score the winner.

Rossi found a gap in the home defence and Chiesa scored.

DAVID MARKHAM