2022-23 Season
Game 9
October 10, 2022
Florence, Stadio Artemio Franchi
Fiorentina Lazio 0-4
A very cynical Lazio bring home the three points. Fiorentina played well but missed a lot of chances.
The teams
Maurizio Sarri is forced to drop Danilo Cataldi due to a last minute injury, so in comes Marcos Antonio and as a consequence also Mattias Vecino. Fiorentina decide on playing with Jonathan Ikoné, Luka Jovic and Christian Kouamé up front.
The match
Lazio start very well and have a chance in the 3rd minute. Long pass from Ivan Provedel to Felipe Anderson in the box. Felipetto is anticipated by Cristiano Biraghi who heads the ball over Pietro Terracciano. The Fiorentina goalkeeper manages to get back and avoid an incredible own goal.
A minute later it’s Fiorentina’s turn. Kouamé to Jovic in the centre of the penalty box. His immediate shot is straight into the hands of Ivan Provedel who fumbles. Adam Marusic is quicker than Ikonè and clears. In the 6th minute a good shot from Ikonè from outside the box is saved well by Provedel.
Fiorentina play, Lazio score
Lazio are in a bit of trouble but here comes a corner in the 11th minute. No Cataldi and no Luis Alberto so it’s Mattia Zaccagni who is taking the corners tonight. Cross to the front post and Matias Vecino back heads the ball into the net. 1-0 for Lazio.
Fiorentina react and in the 21st minute Ikoné’s shot is just slightly wide. Two minutes later great defensive play by Patric who sweeps away a very dangerous ball sent into the box by Giacomo Bonaventura.
Just as Fiorentina are increasing the pressure on Lazio's defence, the Biancocelesti score. Ciro Immobile on the far right inside the penalty box passes the ball to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who crosses in for Zaccagni. His delicate header is enough to change the direction of the ball just that much to beat Terracciano. 2-0 for Lazio.
Fiorentina are in shock. They have definitely played better than Lazio and have had several chances but they are two goals down. Lazio, who are clearly in difficulty and finding it very hard to play their usual game, especially coming out from the back, are cynically ahead.
In the last minute of the first half Kouamé passes the ball to Rolando Mandragora in the corner of the penalty box on the left. His shot is deflected by Patric and hits the woodwork. On the ensuing corner Biraghi sends his cross on the far post, Jovic heads the ball in the air, Luca Martinez Quarta gets there first and heads the ball towards Lazio’s goal. Provedel makes a sensational save.
Second half
Vincenzo Italiano gives Lazio a huge helping hand when he decides to substitute Ikoné with Nico Gonzalez in the interval. Ikoné and Kouamé had been thorns in the Lazio side for the entire first half.
As if to prove this point, in the 46th minute an enormous chance for Fiorentina. Biraghi passes the ball to Kuoamé on the left. The Ivory Coast winger runs past Manuel Lazzari and is confronted on the edge of the box by Patric and Provedel, who however is way too far out. Kuoamè manages to send the ball to the centre, Alessio Romagnoli tries to clear it but the ball is magically set up for Gonzalez who has an open goal opportunity. He misses the ball and Lazio clear.
Lazio have a chance to make it three in the 55th minute. Big hoof from Provedel from Lazio’s half to the Fiorentina box. Milinkovic-Savic gets to the ball first and heads it towards Immobile who whacks it onto the crossbar.
In the 58th minute Nikola Milenkovic and Antonin Barak substitute Sofyan Amrabat and Igor and three minutes later Luis Alberto comes in for Marcos Antonio.
Fiorentina are getting tired and time is running out for them to re-open the game. Lazio rely on the counter attack but it’s not easy. In the 67th minute Jovic has an opportunity but his shot from inside the box is too high. Italiano completes the self-destruction of his team in the 71st minute by substituting Kouamé and Bonaventura with Riccardo Saponara and Youssef Maleh. Elseid Hysaj takes Marusic’s place in the 72nd minute. Adam had a nasty head clash with Gonzalez a quarter of an hour earlier and is in severe pain. Seven minutes later Pedro and Matteo Cancellieri replace Felipe Anderson and Zaccagni.
Lazio close the match
A big chance for Lazio in the 80th minute. Luis Alberto charges off on the counter attack and could pass it to either Immobile or Cancellieri, but he opts for a shot that goes straight to the keeper. He will not miss in the 86th minute. Romagnoli clears the ball from his half and it lands on the left side of the penalty box. Pedro goes for it, promptly passes the ball to Immobile, simple pass to Luis Alberto and it's 3-0.
In the 89th minute Saponara sends the ball into the box on the right of Fiorentina’s attack. Gonzalez gets past Hysaj and lobs the ball over Provedel. Wide, just.
In the first minute of injury time, Luis Alberto for Milinkovic-Savic in the box, back-heel to Immobile who scores Lazio’s fourth goal. Game over.
It’s Immobile’s 188th goal in Serie A. He is now tied in ninth place in the list of players with most goals in Serie A together with Beppe Signori, Alessandro Del Piero and Alberto Gilardino. Kurt Hamrin, in 8th place is just two goals away. The leading Serie A scorer is Silvio Piola with 274 goals.
Who played for Fiorentina
Terracciano, Dodò, Quarta, Igor (59' Milenkovic), Biraghi, Bonaventura (72' Maleh), Amrabat (59' Barak), Mandragora, Ikoné (46' Gonzalez), Jovic, Kouamè (72' Saponara).
Substitutes: Gollini, Cerofolini, Ranieri, Venuti, Terzic, Bianco, Zurkowski, Duncan, Cabral.
Manager: Italiano.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Marusic (72' Hysaj), Milinkovic-Savic, Marcos Antonio (62' Luis Alberto), Vecino, Felipe Anderson (79' Pedro), Immobile, Zaccagni (79' Cancellieri).
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Casale, Gila, Radu, Kamenovic, Cataldi, Basic, Romero.
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Maresca
Goals: 11' Vecino, 25' Zaccagni, 86' Luis Alberto, 90'+1' Immobile.
Bookings: Amrabat, Igor, Mandragora, Dodò, Lazzari
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