Game 36, Serie A
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Empoli 2-0
Patric and Vecino give Lazio the win on the 50th anniversary of Lazio’s first scudetto
The heroes
About an hour before kick off, Lazio honoured the team that back in 1974 on this day won their first scudetto.
● Felice Pulici, who passed away in 2018, was represented by his son Gabriele, born just a few hours before Lazio Foggia
● Pino Wilson, who died in 2022, was substituted by his son James
● Luciano Re Cecconi, who was shot in 1977 was today represented by his son Stefano
● Giorgio Chinaglia, who died in 2012 and today substituted by Massimo Maestrelli
● Mario Frustalupi, who passed away in 1990 after a car crash was represented by his son Nicolò
● Vincenzo D’Amico who died last year substituted by his son Matteo
● Manager Tommaso Maestrelli was represented by his nephew Tommaso.
But there were also Stefano Lovati, son of the great Bob, Andrea Lenzini, nephew of the great President Umberto, Antonio Sbardella Junior, Stefano Borgo, Sergio Tripodi, Pierpaolo Manservisi, Guido Bezzi, son of the Team Manager Gigi, Veronica Facco, mythical Mario Facco’s daughter. Lots of flags, tears and love for a team that will never be forgotten.
The Team
Igor Tudor, after an argument with Luis Alberto, had punished the Spaniard by leaving him out of the squad. Elseid Hysaj was placed in defence, Adam Marusic on the left and Manuel Lazzari on the right.
First half
Lazio played the first half in attack but were completely innocuous, unable to create anything dangerous. Empoli on the other hand had numerous chances to score. In the 20th minute a Simone Bastoni shot was only just too high. He tried again on a free kick in the 33rd minute but again his shot went high. In the 35th minute Matteo Guendouzi fumbled and Empoli had a chance. Bastoni to Matteo Cancellieri on the right, he managed to get the ball across to Ciccio Caputo at the centre of the box. The Empoli centre forward did not connect properly but still managed to keep it low and angled, Christos Mandas miraculously managed to parry into corner.
In the 37th minute the first real opportunity for the Biancocelesti. Felipe Anderson to Ciro Immobile on the right in the box. There was nobody in the middle so King Ciro tried to surprise the Empoli goalkeeper with a shot on the front post, saved into corner. In the 42nd minute Razvan Marin tried from the long range, the ball shaved the crossbar.
Two minutes of added time due to systematic time wasting by the Empoli goalkeeper. Enough for a corner for Lazio. Mattia Zaccagni crossed into the box, Elia Caprile stayed put and Patric with a karate kick gave Lazio the lead.
Second half
Not a lot happened in the second half. Empoli tried to be dangerous but the Biancocelesti managed to hold steady. In 65th minute loads of substitutions: Nicolò Rovella, Tati Castellanos and Matias Vecino for Felipe Anderson, Immobile and Guendouzi for Lazio, Liberato Cacace and Mattia Destro for Giuseppe Pezzella and Caputo for Empoli. Later Pedro came on for Zaccagni, Jacopo Fazzini for Youssef Maleh and Stiven Shpendi for Sebastiano Luperto.
In the 68th minute coast-to-coast by Vecino but once near the box his shot went way too wide. Daichi Kamada also tried from the distance in the 71st minute but Caprile safely saved. In the 87th minute corner for Empoli. Cacace crossed and Shpendi headed towards the goal, Mandas saved. Two minutes later, Marusic took a throw-in on the left, Castellanos passed to Pedro who saw Vecino arriving centrally, ball to him, Lazio 2 Empoli 0.
The game was over but Empoli had one more chance in the last minute of injury time. Cacace took a free kick but Mandas parried into corner.
A feeble Lazio but at least they won. Biancocelesti have now mathematically qualified for Europe for next season. The final two games will determine whether it will be Champions League (almost impossible), Europa League (probable) or Conference League.
Who played for Lazio
Mandas, Patric, Romagnoli, Hysaj, Lazzari, Guendouzi (65' Vecino), Kamada (87' Cataldi), Marusic, Felipe Anderson (65' Rovella), Zaccagni (75' Pedro), Immobile (65' Castellanos).
Substitutes: Provedel, Renzetti, Pellegrini, Casale, Isaksen, Gonzalez.
Manager: Tudor
Who played for Empoli
Caprile, Bereszynski, Ismajli, Luperto (76' Shpendi), Gyasi, Maleh (76' Fazzini), Marin, Bastoni (55' Cambiaghi), Pezzella (63' Cacace), Cancellieri, Caputo (66' Destro).
Substitutes: Perisan, Seghetti, Goglichidze, Walukiewicz, Grassi, Kovalenko, Niang, Cerri, Zurkowski.
Manager: Nicola
Referee: Aureliano
Goals: 45+2’ Patric, 89’ Vecino
Booked: Gyasi (E), Lazzari (L), Rovella (L), Romagnoli (L)
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