Game 21, Serie A
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Chievo Verona 5-1
After several disappointments, Lazio record a rare but big home win against Chievo
In Serie A Lazio were currently in 4th position. The Biancocelesti had won 13 (including Milan 4-1 and Sassuolo 6-1 at home and Juventus 2-1 away), drawn 4 and lost 3 (including derby 1-2). Their most recent game was a 5-2 away win at SPAL in Ferrara.
Lazio were expected to win today but had to be careful of their negative home record against Chievo. The previous year Lazio had dominated, having more than thirty shots on goal, but lost to a last second goal. In 16 home encounters against Chievo, Lazio had only won 4 while they had lost 5. In Verona on the other hand, Lazio had won ten times and lost only once.
The match
A January afternoon with a pale sun only gathered 25,000 to see Lazio face one of their bêtes noires.
The Biancocelesti were without Stefan Radu and Felipe Caicedo while Chievo were missing Lucas Castro, Roberto Inglese and Riccardo Meggiorini..
Lazio had the first chance but it was a bit fortuitous. Marco Parolo, centrally about 30 metres out, went for a cross but miscued and it turned into a high shot which touched the top of the crossbar and went out.
In the 6th minute Ciro Immobile felt a twinge in his leg, a slight muscular problem but he decided to carry on.
Lazio were well on top and took the lead in the 23rd minute. Adam Marusic cut in well from the right and squared the ball inside the area to Luís Alberto who hit it first time, the ball took a deflection off a defender and went in. It was a dangerous shot anyway but the defenders touch gave the keeper no chance. Lazio 1 Chievo 0. If that is what it took to beat Chievo at home Lazio were more than pleased to take it.
The lead however lasted not even two minutes. In the 25th minute a long ball from midfield went over the hesitant Lazio backline and found Manuel Pucciarelli who chested it down past Bastos and fired in a low shot to Thomas Strakosha's right. Lazio 1 Chievo 1. The Chievo curse to continue?
Only for seven minutes. In the 32nd minute Lazio were in front again. A surgically precise low Sergej Milinkovic-Savic shot, from just outside the area on the left, beat Stefano Sorrentino on the near post. Lazio 2 Chievo 1.
In the 32nd minute, after shooting towards goal, Immobile gestured to the bench that he could not continue. A blow for Lazio but the replacement was Felipe Anderson, not a goal machine but hugely talented.
In the 34th minute there was some VAR action. Rosario Abisso initially awarded the visitors a penalty for an alleged foul on Pucciarelli by Senad Lulic but after reviewing it on the pitch side screen realised the Bosnian's challenge was on the ball. Halftime score Lazio 2 Chievo 1.
Biancocelesti in front but no-one was relaxing considering the opposition.
There were no changes for the second half.
The first opportunity was for the Clivensi. Pucciarelli cut into the area from the left and let off a curling shot which Strakosha had to stretch out to parry. Good shot, good save.
Then came a Wallace classic. The Lazio defender was known for his lapses of concentration and this time his mistake was awful. On the right flank near the corner, he completely mishit a back pass to the keeper putting Mariusz Stepinski one-on-one with Strakosha. Luckily for Lazio the Polish striker had to run in from an angle and even more fortunately he hesitated so much that Stefan de Vrij had time to get back and put pressure on him and the Pole blasted the ball out from close range. A major let off for Lazio.
In the 61st minute Chievo punished Stepinski by replacing him with Sergio Pellissier and in the 64th Lazio put on Jordan Lukaku for Lulic.
After the scare Lazio made it three. In the 68th minute Lazio scored a wonderful goal. Lucas Leiva floated a ball over the Chievo defence on the right where Milinkovic-Savic beat the offside trap, coordinated himself superbly and sent a sublime left-footed volley in on the near post. One of the best goals of the season and more importantly Lazio 3 Chievo 1.
Chievo did not give up and Strakosha was forced to dive and parry a long range shot by Ivan Radovanovic.
More substitutions came in the 75th minute with Mehdi Leris replacing Valter Birsa for Chievo and in the 76th with Nani coming on for Milinkovic-Savic.
In the 83rd minute Lazio definitely put the flying donkeys to bed. It was Bastos with a shot which took a decisive deflection and wrong-footed Sorrentino. Lazio 4 Chievo 1. Surely this time…
Chievo made one last change in the 85th minute bringing on Luca Garritano for Samuel Bastien.
Two minutes later Lazio made it a thrashing. In the 87th minute Nani just outside the area while slipping fired a precise shot which went to Sorrentino's right without any deflection this time. Lazio 5 Chievo 1.
A deserved victory for the Biancocelesti albeit slightly flattering in the score line. They however deserved a bit of luck against Chievo considering some of the past matches. Three of the goals had been of excellent quality anyway. Lazio were up to 3rd place. The only worry was Immobile's muscular injury but there was optimism for King Ciro.
Who played for Lazio
Strakosha, Bastos, de Vrij, Wallace, Marusic, Parolo, Leiva, Milinkovic-Savic (76' Nani), Lulic (64' Lukaku), Luis Alberto, Immobile (34' F. Anderson)
Manager: S. Inzaghi
Who played for Chievo
Sorrentino, Cacciatore, Bani, Tomovic, Gobbi, Bastien (85' Garritano), Radovanovic, Hetemaj, Birsa (75' Leris), Pucciarelli, Stępinski (61' Pellissier)
Substitutes: Seculin, Confente, Jaroszyński, Dainelli, Cesar, DePaoli, Rigoni, Vignato
Manager: Maran
Referee: Abisso
Goals: 23' Luis Alberto, 25' Pucciarelli, 32' Milinkovic-Savic, 68' Milinkovic-Savic, 83' Bastos, 87' Nani
Sources
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