2022-2023 Season
Game 3
August 26 2022
Rome, Stadio Ollmpico
Lazio Inter 3-1
A wonderful display by Lazio with three exceptional goals from Felipe Anderson, Luis Alberto and Pedro that bury Inter. It is not the first time Inzaghi loses to Sarri …
The teams
Maurizio Sarri confirms the team that played against Torino the previous Saturday despite Manuel Lazzari having had a fever on the eve of the game. Simone Inzaghi decides to put Denzel Dumfires and Federico Dimarco on the wings and surprisingly puts Roberto Gagliardini in place of Hakan Calhanoglu.
Intense first half
There are high expectations for this match and it certainly does not disappoint. Inter take charge of the ball in the early stages but Lazio are very tight and there is little space. The Milanese try to move the ball from one side of the pitch to the other but they are not particularly dangerous.
Lazio on the other hand, after the first quarter of an hour, start to show more courage. In the 16th minute Adam Marusic crosses the ball low in the penalty box and Ciro Immobile’s shot goes only slightly wide.
The match is very intense but Lazio show that they are more capable than Inter in actually playing the ball. As a consequence, there are several professional fouls by the Nerazzurri but the referee has unfortunately forgotten his yellow card in the changing rooms so he cannot book any of the Inter players. This is the third consecutive game that too many fouls against Lazio are not sanctioned with a yellow card.
Lazio have another chance in the 34th minute when Mattia Zaccagni on the left-hand side of the penalty box takes a shot that looks promising but is deflected into a corner by Milan Skriniar. Three minutes later Immobile has another chance. Felipe Anderson slips in front of Dimarco and passes the ball to the Lazio captain but his immediate shot is too central and Samir Handanovic clears.
A Lazio goal looks imminent and it comes in the 40th minute. Sergei Milinkovic-Savic receives the ball just past the halfway line, stops, looks around, and sends a wonderful pass over the Inter defence. Alessandro Bastoni and Dimarco are distracted and Felipe Anderson creeps behind them heading the ball in for his first goal of the season.
Two minutes later there is a possible penalty for Inter but Romelu Lukaku is offside so no need for a check.
Inter equalises
Immobile has an early chance to make it 2-0 after only two minutes of the second half. Manuel Lazzari finally starts galloping down the right wing and passes to Ciro in the penalty box. His immediate shot on the front post is saved into corner by Handanovich.
Lazio are in control and Inter look like they do not have a clue. But there is a free kick for the Nerazzurri on the left in the 51st minute. Dimarco crosses, Danilo Cataldi heads the ball high in the box, Dumfries gets there first, and Lautaro Martinez all by himself in front of Provedel equalises.
Lazio have a blackout and nothing works. Panic sets in and Inter almost make it two. Dimarco crosses from the left and Dumfries on the far right has a great opportunity but his header is brilliantly saved by Provedel.
The subs change everything
Sarri decides it’s time for a change and in the 57th minute in come Pedro and Luis Alberto in place of Zaccagni and Matias Vecino. This is a decisive move for Lazio and the players wake up.
Inzaghi helps Lazio 12 minutes later with his three changes. Demonstrating his chronic inability to read matches, out go Dumfries, Dimarco and Lukaku and in come Matteo Darmian, Robin Gosens and Edin Dzeko. With these changes the former Lazio manager de facto hands over the match to his former employers. In the 72th minute Elseid Hysaj substitutes Lazzari. A heroic performance by the Lazio right back who was certainly not 100% after having a fever.
In the 75th minute Lazio make it 2-1. Milinkovic-Savic from the right side of the penalty box sends the ball in low to Pedro on the other side. The former Barcelona player sees Luis Alberto outside the box and passes the ball to the Spaniard. What we witness is one of the finest goals in the history of Lazio. Luis Alberto’s powerful volley goes under the far-right corner of the goal with Handanovic completely still.
Inzaghi sends in Calhanoglu and Joaquin Correa but it's too late for the former and the latter confirms his inadequacy. Inter do try but Lazio are too strong now both defensively and mentally. With six minutes to go Sarri substitutes Cataldi and Felipe Anderson with Marcos Antonio and Matteo Cancellieri.
One minute later it's 3-1 for Lazio. Luis Alberto passes the ball in the box to Immobile who is fouled by Darmian but is still able to pass it to Pedro who moves past De Vrij and scores.
It’s all over for Inter. Lautaro is the last to give up and he has a couple of shots but they are saved by Provedel. Cancellieri and Immobile have a chance each but the score remains 3-1.
A wonderful performance by Lazio on a very, very humid night at the Olimpico.
A quick note on the referee. It takes Fabbri 85 minutes to book an Inter player despite numerous professional fouls by the Nerazzurri. Not good.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari (71' Hysaj), Patric, Romagnoli, Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi (83' Marcos Antonio), Vecino (57' Luis Alberto), Felipe Anderson (83' Cancellieri), Immobile, Zaccagni (57' Pedro).
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Casale, Gila, Radu, Basic, Romero.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Inter
Handanovic, Skriniar, de Vrij, Bastoni, Dumfries (68' Darmian), Barella (77' Correa), Brozovic, Gagliardini (77' Calhanoglu), Dimarco (68' Gosens), Lukaku (68' Dzeko), Lautaro.
Substitutes: Onana, Cordaz, D’Ambrosio, Bellanova, Agoumè, Asllani.
Manager: Inzaghi
Referee: Fabbri
Goals: 40' Felipe Anderson, 51' Lautaro, 75' Luis Alberto, 86' Pedro
Bookings: Zaccagni, Marusic, Brozovic
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