Game 17, Serie A
Friday, December 22, 2023
Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli
Empoli Lazio 0-2
Three miraculous Provedel saves allow Lazio to beat Empoli
The team
Mauricio Sarri decided that at this moment Patric is better than an out of form Nicolò Casale so it was the Spaniard who was the chosen central defender together with Mario Gila. No surprises regarding the rest of the team.
First half
The game was very balanced at the beginning and very fast, as the young Empoli talents really made Lazio work hard. But the Biancocelesti opened the score early. In the 8th minute, on the counter attack Luis Alberto passed the ball to Mattia Zaccagni who advanced and went into the box. Pass to the Magician who dribbled past Sebastiano Luperto and shot. Luperto however managed to save on the line with his back heel. Ball to Ciro Immobile who tried another shot, this time saved by Tyronne Ebuehi. Zaccagni picked it up and tried again but was walled. The ball reached Matteo Guendouzi who stopped the ball with his right foot and shot with his left, 1-0 for Lazio. First Serie A goal for the French international.
In the 20th minute Gila broke an Empoli offensive and passed to Immobile, ball to Guendouzi but Elia Caprile managed to save into corner. Immediately after King Ciro had to be substituted due to injury and in came Taty Castellanos. Five minutes later it was Luis Alberto to throw in the towel, substituted by Daichi Kamada. Lazio had already been forced to use two slots out of three.
Empoli gained some courage, starting to press and putting Lazio in great difficulty. In the 33rd minute, shot from way out by Alberto Grassi, ball deflected by Guendouzi, change of direction, Ivan Provedel performed the first miracle of the day as he managed to dive very low to put the ball into corner. On the subsequent corner, cross into the box by Jacopo Fazzini, a deflection favoured Daniel Maldini, quick shot, miracle number two from Provedel.
Second half
In the 50th minute, Empoli on the counterattack. Maldini to Nicolò Cambiaghi on the left. Once in the box he passed to Simone Bastoni, ball deflected back to Cambiaghi who tried a shot. Provedel managed to get a hand to the ball and it was a corner. Miracle number three and what a save that was. The Empoli player was already celebrating. In the 60th minute Maldini tried again, but again Saint Ivan parried into corner.
First substitutions for Empoli in the 62nd minute: out went Matteo Cancellieri and Fazzini, in came Victor Kovalenko and Tommaso Baldanzi.
In the 66th minute Lazio on the counterattack. Castellanos to Guendouzi to Zaccgni who went into the box, dribbled past Sebastian Walukiewicz and shot. Caprile saved, ball back to Zaccagni who tried another shot, again saved by Caprile. But the ball hit Grassi on the head, lying on the ground in front of the goalkeeper, giving the Lazio forward his third chance at scoring and this time he did not miss.
Both teams made further substitutions. Sarri sent in Pedro, Danilo Cataldi and Gustav Isaksen and out went Zaccagni, Nicolò Rovella and Felipe Anderson. Empoli changed Maldini, Grassi and later Maleh and in came Mattia Destro, Razvan Marin and Emmanuel Gysai.
In the 83rd minute another Lazio counterattack. Isaksen to Pedro who passed to Castellanos in the middle of the box but Caprile managed to save into corner.
A good win for the Biancocelesti.
Who played for Empoli
Caprile, Ebuehi, Walukiewicz, Luperto, Bastoni, Fazzini (62' Kovalenko), Grassi (76' Marin), Maleh (85' Gyasi), Cancellieri (62' Baldanzi), Cambiaghi, Maldini (76' Destro).
Substitutes: Perisan, Berisha, Shpendi, Cacace, Ranocchia, Ismajli.
Manager: Andreazzoli.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic, Patric, Gila, Pellegrini, Guendouzi, Rovella (78' Cataldi), Luis Alberto (25' Kamada), Felipe Anderson (78' Isaksen), Immobile (22' Castellanos), Zaccagni (78' Pedro).
Substitutes: Sepe, Mandas, Casale, Hysaj, Vecino.
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Marchetti
Goals: 9' Guendouzi, 67' Zaccagni
Booked: Maldini (E), Patric (L), Fazzini (E), Rovella (L), Bastoni (E)
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