Dusan Vlahovic scored a first half hat-trick as Fiorentina recorded their biggest win of the season by beating Benevento 4-1 on Saturday to boost their Serie A survival hopes.

A run of one win in seven league games left the Florence club in danger of being dragged into a tight relegation battle, but three goals from their 21-year-old striker put the result beyond doubt at the Stadio Vigorito.

Serbia international Vlahovic became the first Fiorentina player to score three goals in the first half of a Serie A match since Kurt Hamrin in February 1964.

Artur Ionita pulled one back for the hosts early in the second half, but Valentin Eysseric restored the three-goal cushion and the result lifted the Viola to 12th place on 29 points, three ahead of 16th-placed Benevento, who are winless in 11 games.