2022-23 Season
Game 22
February 11, 2023
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Atalanta 0-2
Lazio crumble against Atalanta who completely outclass the Biancocelesti.
The team
Maurizio Sarri confirms Danilo Cataldi despite the fact that he has not been 100% lately and also had a few problems during the week. Manuel Lazzari is still on the bench and blind faith in Adam Marusic and Elseid Hysaj.
The match
One can see immediately that this was not going to be an easy match. Atalanta gain control of the game early on and in the 7th minute Teun Koopmeiners shoots from outside the box, well saved by Ivan Provedel. Five minutes later cross from Ademola Lookman from the left, ball to the other side to Hans Hateboer, another Provedel save.
In the 18th minute a massive chance for Lazio. Long ball from Provedel to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who controls the ball and dribbles past an Atalanta defender. The Serb finds himself in a scoring position just inside the box but central. Ciro Immobile comes bursting in and anticipates Milinkovic-Savic. Ball over the crossbar. That should have been a goal.
In the 21st minute Lookman shoots from outside the box, the ball hits a Lazio player and looks as if it is going to beat Provedel who instead manages to get a hand to it and push the ball onto the crossbar.
In the 23rd minute Koopmeiners to Lookman in the box on the left. Marusic manages to clear, but the ball reaches Davide Zappacosta who, with a great curling shot, puts the ball past Provedel in the top right corner. 1-0 for Atalanta.
Lazio in difficulty. Lots of mistakes, Cataldi in great trouble and the team can’t seem to find a hole in the Atalanta armour. In the 35th minute Ramus Hojlund runs for 40 metres followed by Lazio players and once just outside the box he shoots. Ball just wide. Alessio Romagnoli gets injured in the 36th minute and is substituted by Patric.
There is a need for a mistake by the Bergamaschi and that is what happens in the 43rd minute. Berat Djimsiti “passes” the ball to Mattia Zaccagni who moves towards the edge of the box and shoots. Great save by Juan Musso.
Second half
In the 48th minute another long Provedel ball to Milinkovic-Savic who heads the ball towards the Atalanta box. Immobile manages to head it to Felipe Anderson who is anticipated by Rafael Toloi. But the ball goes back to Ciro who avoids the return of Toloi and shoots. His shot is weak and Musso saves. Another squandered opportunity.
A minute later Lookman to Hojlund who is just too fast for Patric and Luis Alberto. The Danish player sprints towards the Lazio box and shoots, Provedel saves.
Sarri makes a major change to the team in the 57th minute. Out go Hysaj, Felipe Anderson and Cataldi, in come Lazzari, Pedro and Matias Vecino. Atalanta also make two changes: José Luis Palomino and Merih Demiral for Giorgio Scalvini and Hateboer.
But things go from bad to worse. In the 65th minute Luis Alberto passes to the right but it's too long for Lazzari and too short for Pedro so Palomino intercepts and quickly gets a pass to Lookman. The Nigerian moves to the edge of the box and crosses low. Provedel, Patric and Marusic cannot reach it, Hojlund makes it 2-0 for Atalanta.
Game over. Lazio continue to have problems in creating chances (just a shot from Lazzari in the 84th minute), Atalanta comfortably control the rest of the game.
A bad defeat for Lazio.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli (39' Patric), Hysaj (57' Lazzari), Milinkovic, Cataldi (57' Vecino), Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson (57' Pedro), Immobile, Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Pellegrini, Gila, Marcos Antonio, Basic, Cancellieri, Romero.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Atalanta
Musso, Toloi, Djimsiti, Scalvini (58' Palomino), Hateboer (63' Demiral), De Roon, Koopmeiners, Zappacosta, Ederson, Lookman (89' Boga), Hojlund (89' Zapata).
Substitutes: Sportiello, Bertini, Okoli, Ruggeri, Vorlicky, Soppy.
Manager: Gasperini.
Referee: Orsato
Goals: 23' Zappacosta, 65' Hojlund
Bookings: Zaccagni, Scalvini, De Roon
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