Strakoshaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

Season 2017-18

Game 8, Serie A

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Juventus Stadium, Turin

Juventus Lazio 1-2

Strakosha saves a last gasp penalty and Lazio beat Juve away

In Campionato, despite a goalless draw at home against Spal in the opening game, Lazio were doing quite well. They had won 5 games out of seven and were currently 4th.

The match

A very slow start from both teams and the only thing that happened in the first 20 minutes was a lame shot over the bar from Blaise Matuidi in the 12th. Lazio seemed to control defensively but were never dangerous, Juventus tried to put more pressure but were inoffensive.

Then, suddenly, Juve scored. In the 23rd minute Kwadwo Asamoah crossed from the left, Sami Khedira volleyed towards the goal, Thomas Strakosha managed to parry but in came Douglas Costa who acrobatically scored. He seemed to be in clear offside but after a two-minute VAR check, the goal was given.

At this point the Bianconeri took control and Khedira had a chance in the 36th minute with a shot from outside the box, parried by Strakosha into corner. Two minutes later Lucas Leiva passed the ball back to the Albanian keeper who controlled it badly and tried to kick it away but he hit Gonzalo Higuain. Ball onto the crossbar and back into the keeper’s hands. Big risk for Lazio.

In the 47th minute Lazio equalised. Leiva to Ciro Immobile in the Juve half, ball back to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who saw Luis Alberto run forward into the gap. Quick pass, the Magician saw Immobile running into the box, ball to the King who with a low clinical shot beat Gianluigi Buffon.

Immediately after a Higuain-Mario Mandzukic one-two, Gonzalo was alone in front of Strakosha but the Lazio keeper managed to parry.

Lazio, full of enthusiasm following their goal, went for the kill and in the 52nd minute Milinkovic-Savic gave a splendid ball to Immobile who in front of Gianluigi Buffon was fouled. Penalty to Lazio which Ciro did not miss.

Juventus started to pile more and more pressure on the Lazio defence while on the counter attack the Biancocelesti could have scored again with Milinkovic-Savic but his shot was too lame. In the 91st minute a splendid volley from outside the box by Dybala, Strakosha was saved by the woodwork. Two minutes later Milinkovic-Savic to Felipe Caicedo all alone in front of Buffon but he could not get a decent impact with the ball and the keeper parried. In the 96th minute Patric did not control a ball which was in the box and it slid away. The Spaniard and Federico Bernardeschi both went for it and both hit it. The referee did not see a foul but VAR did and a penalty was given. Dybala stepped up, took the shot but Strakosha saved!!! Game over!!! A remarkable win!!!

Who played for Juventus

Buffon, Lichtsteiner (73' Sturaro), Barzagli, Chiellini, Asamoah, Khedira (64' Dybala), Bentancur, Matuidi, Douglas Costa (55' Bernardeschi), Higuain, Mandzukic

Substitutes: Szczęsny, Pinsoglio, Benatia, Barzagli, Asamoah, Cuadrado

Manager: Allegri

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Bastos, de Vrij, Radu, Marusic, Parolo, Leiva, Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic (84’ Patric), Luis Alberto (72’ Nani), Immobile (75’ Caicedo)