FLORENCE, Italy (Interstat) — A solitary early goal from forward Moise Kean proved decisive as Fiorentina opened its Serie A campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over promoted side Pisa on Monday at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The match, played on Feb. 23, 2026, saw the home side dominate possession and chances but struggle to convert its superiority into a more comfortable scoreline, ultimately relying on a 13th-minute strike to secure all three points.

The lone goal arrived from a well-worked team move. Defender Dodô initiated the play, driving forward from the right flank before delivering a low cross into the penalty area. The ball was deftly touched on by substitute Antonio Caracciolo, who had entered the match early, into the path of Kean. The Italian international made no mistake from close range, slotting home to give Fiorentina a lead it would not relinquish.

Pisa, returning to Italy’s top flight, offered little sustained offensive threat throughout the contest. Their task was made more difficult as the game grew increasingly fractious, with the referee’s whistle a constant feature in the second half. The physical nature of the match was reflected in the six yellow cards issued, with four coming after the halftime interval.

Fiorentina’s Dodô found himself booked in the 47th minute for a reckless challenge. Pisa’s discipline wavered as the match progressed, with midfielder Marius Marin cautioned in the 62nd minute. The card tally mounted in the final stages, including a booking for Fiorentina’s veteran substitute Juan Cuadrado in the 79th minute. A scuffle in second-half stoppage time resulted in simultaneous yellow cards for Fiorentina midfielders Jacopo Fazzini and Giovanni Fabbian. Pisa’s Caracciolo had also been booked earlier, in the 37th minute.

Despite its dominance, Fiorentina was unable to find a second goal to ease the tension. The home side controlled the tempo but was repeatedly frustrated by a resolute, if ultimately unsuccessful, Pisa defense and a lack of clinical finishing. The visitors, for their part, rarely tested the Fiorentina goalkeeper, registering zero goals on the night.

The result defied the pre-match projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw. However, it aligned with the same service’s ELO rating system, which gave Fiorentina a 97 percent probability of winning the fixture.

With the victory, Fiorentina begins its Serie A season with a perfect record of one win and zero losses, earning a crucial three points at home. The club also maintains an unblemished record across all competitions for the young season. Pisa, meanwhile, starts its campaign with a defeat, now standing at zero wins and one loss both in Serie A and in all matches this season.

The match highlighted Fiorentina’s ability to grind out a result even when not at its free-flowing best, while Pisa will take some heart from a defensively organized, if offensively limited, performance against a more established top-division opponent. Kean’s predatory instinct made the difference on a afternoon where chances were at a premium.