Fiorentina have the advantage in their UEFA Cup last 32 tie against Rosenborg after a deserved 1-0 win in Norway.

Cesare Prandelli's side took an early lead and looked more likely to double their advantage than to concede against a disappointing home side.

They are now strong favourites to set up a last 16 clash with Everton or SK Brann.

The Viola came through the Group stages in second place and were handed a testing tie against the Norwegian outfit, who were a third-placed Champions League side.

Prandelli was without Pablo Daniel Osvaldo and Christian Vieri, so an in-form Giampaolo Pazzini partnered Adrian Mutu up front.

Azzurri winger Franco Semioli passed a late fitness test to start and won a corner in the opening seconds as the Viola started quickly in the bitter cold.

Rosenborg came forward for the first time through Abdoulrazak Traore, who was caught offside and the hosts immediately paid the price.

Massimo Gobbi broke into the box and hit a left-footed strike that goalkeeper Rune Jarstein could only parry to Adrian Mutu and the Romanian tucked the rebound away for his third goal of the UEFA Cup campaign.

Fiorentina continued to dominate possession, but Sebastien Frey had to be alert to prevent Yssourf Kone reaching a free-kick on the half-hour mark.

The Norwegians were seeing more of the ball but the Viola were happy to sit back and take the sting out of the game for the final 15 minutes of the first period.

Zdravko Kuzmanovic was having an impressive evening in the midfield, but Alessandro Gamberini had to be sharp to close second-half substitute Dider Ya Konan and Marek Sapara.

Rosenborg enjoyed the majority of the ball, but struggled to find an incisive ball as the home fans became increasingly frustrated.

Pazzini's 100th game for the Gigliati ended on 73 minutes when the former Azzurrini star was replaced by new boy Daniele Cacia

Cacia nearly made a decisive contribution within seconds as Mutu beat his man and nearly found the former Piacenza man at the back post before Vadim Demidov cut the ball out.

In the final 10 minutes there was nearly a sting in the tail as Rosenborg's Ivorian star Konan rattled the post with Frey beaten.

The impressive Kuzmanovic left the pitch with five minutes left after taking a blow to the head and was replaced by Mario Santana, who immediately blasted an effort from outside the box that Jarstein blocked with ease.

The Italians had one last uncomfortable moment when a free-kick in stoppage time from Sapara was superbly saved by Frey.

Fiorentina take a lead back to Stadio Artemio Franchi on February 21 and demonstrated impressive resolve on a cold Scandinavian night.

Rosenborg: Jarstein; Stoor, Kvarme, Demidov, Nordvik; Skjelbred, Strand (Storflor 80), Traore, Sapara; Iversen (Konan 46), Kone

Fiorentina: Frey; Ujfalusi, Dainelli, Kroldrup, Gobbi; Kuzmanovic (Santana 85), Donadel, Semioli, Jorgensen; Mutu, Pazzini (Cacia 73)

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