Inter-Lazio 0-1

Season 2018-19

Game 29, Serie A

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan

Inter-Lazio 0-1

Lazio defeat Inter away to pay them back for the previous year's bruising loss

In Serie A, Lazio were currently in joint 6th place with Atalanta on 45 points and 6 points from 4th placed Milan (in last CL slot). Lazio had won 13, drawn 6 and lost 8. Lazio were going through a good spell of form, in the last 3 games they had won 2 (including Roma 3-0) and drawn 1 (Fiorentina 1-1 away). Lazio had a game in hand as the home game against Udinese, scheduled for February 24, had been postponed to April 17.

Inter were currently 3rd on 53 points but 17 points behind Juventus. The Nerazzurri had won 16 (including Lazio 3-0 and both derbies), drawn 5 and lost 7. A week earlier they had defeated city rivals Milan 3-2.

The match

A Sunday 8.30 p.m kick-off saw just over 55,000 present in the San Siro area of Milan.

Lazio had more or less the whole squad available.

Inter had striker Mauro Icardi in the stands due to internal disputes and had Lautaro Martinez out injured. In defence they were without former Lazio, Stefan de Vrij.

Inter started with the enthusiasm of a side coming from a local derby triumph. In the 7th minute Matías Vecino shaved the post with a shot deflected by a defender and in the 9th minute Milan Skriniar missed an easy opportunity, firing a rebound over the bar after Thomas Strakosha had parried from a corner.

Lazio weathered the storm, calmed things down and scored. In the 13th minute Luís Alberto from the left curled a perfect cross to the far post where the Serb giant Sergej Milinkovic-Savic rose above Marcelo Brozović and headed in. Inter 0 Lazio 1.

Inter attempted a reaction but it was tame. They were without a real striker, only former Lazio Balde Keita up front and many of their players, especially Danilo D'Ambrosio and Matteo Politano on the right were having an off day. The only lively player was Ivan Perišić.

Lazio were forced into a change in the 27th minute when Joaquín Correa went off injured and was replaced by Ecuadorian Felipe Caicedo, known as "Il Panterone".

Inter were finally dangerous in the 43rd minute when Keita's goal effort from inside the area on the left was saved by Strakosha on the near post.

Lazio were then far more dangerous just before halftime. Samir Handanovic had to show brilliant reflexes to save from a close-range Bastos header, again from a floating Luís Alberto freekick. Then Luís Alberto went for a curling shot himself from the edge of the area but Handanovic flew to his left and palmed it away. At the break Inter 0 Lazio 1.

In the first part of the second half Lazio controlled and could have scored again in the 55th minute when Caicedo went through the Inter defence and in front of Handanovič tried to chip him but the Slovenian was again excellent and saved, then blocking the ball before Immobile could hit the rebound.

Politano revived and had a powerful, low curling shot go not too far off the far post. Lazio responded with a back-heeled assist to Immobile but his low left foot was blocked by Handanovic.

In the 67th minute Lazio put on fresh legs with Marco Parolo but strangely took off their best player so far, Luís Alberto. A subdued Ciro Immobile could have been a more suitable candidate to go off.

Inter gradually gained ground and Lazio pulled back. Luciano Spalletti tried changing things with Radja Nainggolan for Borja Valero in the 74th minute, Antonio Candreva for D'Ambrosio in the 79th and Joāo Mario for Keita in the 84th.

Nainggolan immediately went into Roman derby mode and surged forward but his low effort was saved by Strakosha taking a step to his left and diving low.

Matías Vecino practically went up to play as centre-forward. To be fair Inter ended forcing Lazio into their own area but only produced a few corners, crosses and potential dangers. Lazio threw on defender Riza Durmisi for Senad Lulic in the 87th minute and resisted to bring home a deserved win. Final score Inter 0 Lazio 1.

A huge satisfaction for Lazio who avenged, if only partially, the previous season's heart-breaking defeat by the Nerazzurri in the last game of the season, which had lost them a Champions League place.

Lazio had won with merit today. They should have closed the game before and then were inevitably made to sweat for the win towards the end.

Lazio were now joint 5th with Atalanta on 48 points but with a game in hand. The Biancocelesti were now only three points behind 4th placed Milan who had lost again (Sampdoria 0-1 away). Lazio had also overtaken Roma who had lost 1-4 at home to Napoli.

Inter were still 3rd but had to start looking over their shoulders as Lazio and Atalanta were closing the gap.

Who played for Inter

Handanovič, D'Ambrosio (79' Candreva), Škriniar, Miranda, Asamoah, Vecino, Brozović, Politano, Borja Valero (74' Nainggolan), Perišić, Keita (84' Joāo Mario)

Substitutes: Padelli, Berni, Ranocchia, Dalbert, Cedric Soares, Colidio, Gagliardini

Manager: Spalletti

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Luiz Felipe, Acerbi, Bastos, Romulo, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva, Luís Alberto (67' Parolo), Lulic (87' Durmisi), Correa (27' Caicedo), Immobile