Game 22, Serie A
Sunday January 26, 2025
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Fiorentina 1-2
Just like in the derby, Lazio too soft in the opening minutes and then are unable to set the sail straight
The team
With the list of long term absences increasing every match, manager Marco Baroni was forced to play Luca Pellegrini as left back and since Nicolò Rovella had had problems during the week, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru took his place in midfield. Important match today, a win would be fundamental for both teams.
First half
Fiorentina started well, pressing Lazio and taking control of the game early on. Lazio a bit subdued and in great difficulty. To prove a point in the 11th minute Albert Gudmundsson to Lucas Beltran on the left very close to the byline, high cross into the middle of the box and in came Yacine Adli who with an acrobatic volley gave the Viola the lead. Six minutes later it was 2-0. Michael Folorunsho to Dodô on the right, cross into the middle and Beltran doubled the score.
A shock start for the Biancocelesti who approached the game as they had done in the derby and just like that game were 2-0 down after 20 minutes.
The first real sign of awakening came in the 26th minute when a Pellegrini shot was only just wide. In the 34th minute Dodô to Moise Kean in the box, header towards the middle, Gudmundsson tried an acrobatic bicycle shot, post. It could have been 3-0.
Lazio attacked and in the 37th minute Adam Marusic tried a header which went too high. A minute later the ball was dancing dangerously close to the Fiorentina goal but Mario Gila, Taty Castellanos and Boulaye Dia were unable to convert the opportunity.
Second half
Baroni immediately sent in Pedro and Rovella for Gustav Isaksen and Dele-Bashiru. Lazio attacked with vehemence but had problems creating anything dangerous. Fiorentina instead started time wasting tactics collapsing to the ground at every possible opportunity. In the 63rd minute Adli, who had just been booked, was replaced by Pietro Comuzzo. Not happy with his substitution he decided to kick one of the balls close to the pitch into the stands. Second booking. But Fiorentina had already made the change so no real harm done.
In the 66th minute Elseid Hysaj came on for Pellegrini and a minute later Pedro crossed into the box, Dia tried a header, David de Gea fumbled, the ball hit the woodwork and finished wide.
In the 80th minute Tijani Noslin came on for Dia.
In overtime Lazio gave everything they had and managed to halve the deficit. Mattia Zaccagni took a free kick, cross in the box, Amir Richardson cleared, Castellanos got to the ball and crossed a high ball towards the far post, Hysaj headed it towards the middle and Marusic took advantage of de Gea being in no man’s land to head the ball in.
All hands on deck, including Ivan Provedel in the hope of repeating his Champions League exploits. In the final minute, Castellanos crossed, Comuzzo cleared, ball at the limit of the box, Pedro tried a volley, de Gea was beaten, but the ball hit the post. Unlucky.
Lazio threw in everything they had but it was not to be. Unlucky in the finale, but need a better approach to games.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Pellegrini (66' Hysaj), Dele-Bashiru (46' Rovella), Guendouzi, Isaksen (46' Pedro), Dia (80' Noslin), Zaccagni, Castellanos
Substitutes: Mandas, Furlanetto, Gigot, Tchaouna, Castrovilli, Basic, Ibrahimovic
Manager: Baroni
Who played for Fiorentina
De Gea, Dodò (76' Parisi), Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens, Adli (63' Comuzzo), Mandragora, Beltran, Gudmundsson (76' Sottil), Folorunsho (86' Richardson), Kean
Substitutes: Terracciano, Martinelli, Leonardelli, Valentini, Moreno, Caprini, Harder, Kouamè
Manager: Palladino
Referee: Rapuano
Goals: 11' Adli, 17' Beltran, 90'+2' Marusic
Yellow cards: Adli, Dodò, Mandragora
Red Card: Adli (from the bench)
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