Game 16, Serie A
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Inter 0-2
Lazio play well, but a disastrous Marusic decision gives Inter the win
The team
Maurizio Sarri decided that Luis Alberto was off form and put him on the bench. Daichi Kamada played at midfield with Nicolò Rovella and Matteo Guendouzi. The rest of the squad was as predicted.
First half
Lazio played the first 45 minutes at a great pace, probably their best first half of the season. But they did not score. And they created very few chances. In the 27th minute Mattia Zaccagni went off on the left and crossed into the box, Ciro Immobile tried a very difficult header which went wide. In the 30th minute Marcus Thuram had a chance for Inter but his shot from inside the area on the left went very wide.
In the 40th minute Adam Marusic had the ball just inside Lazio’s half and decided to pass it back to Ivan Provedel. But he had not seen that Lautaro Martinez was there. The Argentinian got to the ball, dribbled past Provedel and scored. A disastrous decision that affected the score and was a huge psychological blow to the Biancoceleste morale.
Second half
In the 48th minute Rovella stole the ball off Hakan Calhanoglu and ran towards the box. He went past a few Inter defenders and in front of Yann Sommer tried a shot on the near post that was saved into corner. In the 56th minute Guendouzi from the left lobbed a ball into the area for Immobile. King Ciro controlled it with his chest and passed it to Kamada outside the box but dead centre. The Japanese did not get a great impact on the ball and his shot went wide. Two important chances to equalise.
In the 65th minute Luis Alberto came on for Kamada. A minute later Inter doubled the score. Sommer kicked the ball up field, Thuram anticipated Mario Gila, Nicolò Barella got the ball just inside the Lazio half and ran forward. The Lazio defenders retreated, so the Inter midfielder had all the space in the world to advance. He tried a pass to Lautaro but was intercepted by Marusic. Ball back to Barella again, pass to Thuram who had advanced on the left, no offside attempt by the Lazio defence, 2-0 for Inter.
Simone Inzaghi made two changes: Carlo Augusto for Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi for Barella. In the 71st minute Lautaro stole the ball off Rovella, Henrikh Mkhitaryan passed to Lautaro who advanced. Pass back to the Armenian who in front of Provedel shot at the goalkeeper.
More substitutions followed: Danilo Cataldi, Pedro and Taty Castellanos came on for Rovella, Zaccagni and Felipe Anderson. Lazio passed to a 4-4-2 in the hope that two forwards could be of help. Marko Arnautovic substituted Thuram.
In the 87th minute Manuel Lazzari was sent off for dissent and that was the end of the match. Two more substitutions for Inzaghi: Kristjan Asllani for Calhanoglu and Davy Klaassen for Lautaro.
Lazio were playing really well until Marusic handed over the victory to Inter.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Casale, Gila, Marusic, Guendouzi, Rovella (74' Cataldi), Kamada (65' Luis Alberto), Felipe Anderson (80' Castellanos), Immobile, Zaccagni (74' Pedro).
Substitutes: Sepe, Mandas, Patric, Hysaj, Pellegrini, Ruggeri, Vecino, Basic.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Inter
Sommer, Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni, Darmian, Barella (70` Frattesi), Calhanoglu (88' Asllani), Mkhitaryan, Dimarco (70' Carlos Augusto), Thuram (78' Arnautovic), Lautaro Martinez (88' Klaassen).
Substitutes: Di Gennaro, Audero, Sensi, Pavard, Agoumè, Stabile.
Manager: Inzaghi.
Referee: Maresca
Goals: 40' Lautaro Martinez, 66' Thuram
Booked: Thuram (I), Barella (I), Casale (L)
Sent off: Lazzari (L)
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