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Writer's pictureSimon Basten

A costly mistake

Updated: Feb 24

Game 24, Serie A

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Bologna 1-2


A costly mistake in the first half allows Bologna to get back into the match and then win


Official SS Lazio photo

The team

 

Without Alessio Romagnoli and Matias Vecino, suspended, Mattia Zaccagni and Nicolò Rovella injured plus Elseid Hysaj not 100%, Maurizio Sarri had little choice. Patric joined Mario Gila in defence, Manuel Lazzari was chosen as right back while the rest of the team was the same that had beaten Bayern Munich mid-week.

 

A must win today for Lazio in order to get back into the Champions League qualification race and then capitalise on the game in hand which would be played on Thursday.

 

First half

 

Bologna had possession for at least the first seven minutes of the game. Lazio just waited to see what happened and the Rossoblu passed the ball around. But all that was generated was a Lewis Ferguson shot in the 2nd minute which went a little too high over the crossbar. In the 8th minute Gustav Isaksen stole the ball off Jhon Lucumì and passed to Ciro Immobile in the box slightly off centre, quick shot, Lukasz Skorupski parried. In the 10th minute Patric, hit hard a little earlier by Oussama El Azzouzi but ignored by referee Fabio Maresca, was forced to abandon the match and was substituted by Nicolò Casale.

 

King Ciro scored after a splendid assist from Felipe Anderson in the 13th minute but he was offside.

 

In the 18th minute Isaksen again stole the ball off a Bologna player and started a quick counter attack. He passed to Immobile who gave it back to the Dane, low left foot volley, Lazio 1 Bologna 0.




Isaksen in the 31st minute went off on the left, moved to the centre, dibbled past a defender and shot. Skorupski managed to get a nail to the ball and deflect it onto the post. An amazing save.

 

Shortly afterwards, Giovanni Fabbian, already booked, fouled Immobile just outside the Bologna penalty area. It should have been a freekick to Lazio, and a booking for Fabbian since it was a classic step on the foot. Maresca was looking the other way, again.

 

In the 39th minute disaster. Ivan Provedel close to the byline passed an awkward ball to Luis Alberto which the Spaniard, pressed by a Bolognese, passed back to him. Not a great idea, awful ball, Provedel tried to kick it away but it went straight to Fabbian who left it to El Azzouzi and Bologna equalised.

 

Lazio surged forward to get back in the lead and in the 44th minute a Matteo Guendouzi volley in the box, following a sky ball, was saved on the line by Lucumì.

 

Second half

 

Lazio disappeared from the game and Bologna took control but were never dangerous. The Biancocelesti just could not break the Rossoblu's passing game. Lots of substitutions from both sides. Isaksen, Immobile, Luis Alberto and Lazzari out, Pedro, Taty Castellanos, Daichi Kamada and Luca Pellegrini in from the Biancocelesti side, Alexis Saelemaekers, Fabbian and El Azzouzi out and Dan Ndoye, Kacper Urbanski and Michel Aebischer in for the Rossoblu.

 

In the 78th minute, Joshua Zirkzee to Victor Kristiansen on the left, cross into the middle, Casale did not follow the Dutch forward who was all alone and waiting. Lazio 1 Bologna 2.

 

The Biancocelesti tried a comeback but attacked erratically and were not able to construct anything.

 

Bad loss for Lazio, Europe is very far away now.

 

The club was not happy with the ref. Umpteenth time Maresca has a bad day in the office when he has to ref Lazio. Coincidence?

 

Who played for Lazio

 

Provedel, Lazzari (76' Pellegrini), Patric (11' Casale), Gila, Marusic, Guendouzi, Cataldi, Luis Alberto (76' Kamada), Isaksen (65' Pedro), Immobile (65' Castellanos), Felipe Anderson.

Substitutes: Sepe, Mandas, Hysaj, Napolitano, Andre Anderson, Sana Fernandes.

Manager: Sarri

 

Who played for Bologna

 

Skorupski, Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Kristiansen (85' Calafiori), El Azzouzi (72' Aebischer), Orsolini, Ferguson, Fabbian (72' Urbanski), Saelemaekers (72' Ndoye), Zirkzee.

Substitutes: Bagnolini, Ravaglia, Ilic, Moro, Karlsson, Ndoye, Corazza, Odgaard, Lykogiannis, De Silvestri.

Manager: Thiago Motta.

 

Referee: Maresca

 

Goals: 18’ Isaksen, 39’ El Azzouzi, 78’ Zirkzee

 

Booked: Fabbian (B), Cataldi (L), El Azzouzi (B), Aebischer (B)

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