Game 30, Serie A
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Juventus 1-0
A last second goal from Marusic gives Lazio the three points on new manager’s debut
The Teams
There was great curiosity about the first game under new manager Igor Tudor. How will Lazio play? Three at the back? Or four? With a number of players missing – Nicolò Rovella, Manuel Lazzari, Patric, Ivan Provedel and with Luis Alberto having had problems in the last couple of days – Tudor surprised everybody by including Daichi Kamada and Pedro in the starting eleven. The fans were extremely perplexed.
First half
The Biancocelesti were placed on the chess board with a type of chameleonic 3-3-3-1 formation ready to change on the pitch at any second. So Adam Marusic would step back to defence when necessary, so did Felipe Anderson in helping out on the right and Mattia Zaccagni on the left. Very interesting.
Lazio aggressive, very aggressive and Juventus really did not know what to do. Also because Massimiliano Allegri decided to experiment a 4-3-3, something the Bianconeri were certainly not used to. After a Bremer header off target in the 10th minute, in the 17th minute the Biancocelesti had their first chance when Taty Castellanos from a favourable position picked up a stray ball but shot wide. Three minutes later a one-two with Felipe Anderson put El Taty in front of Wojciech Szczesny but his shot hit the side of the net. Two good possibilities squandered. In the 26th minute Mario Gila crossed from the left, Felipe Anderson managed to control the ball and attempt a volley which the Juve goalkeeper saved with difficulty.
Towards the end of the half Juventus showed signs of life. In the 41st minute Mattia De Sciglio to Adrien Rabiot to Federico Chiesa, curled shot, Christos Mandas saved into corner.
Second half
Allegri changed back to 3-5-2 and Juventus had a more logical shape on the pitch. In the 51st minute Sameul Iling-Junior from the left crossed into the box towards the far right, Andrea Cambiaso tried a volley which Mandas saved.
A few substitutions: Ciro Immobile and Gustav Isaksen for Castellanos and Pedro, Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz for Cambiaso and Chiesa. In the interval, De Sciglio and Fabio Miretti had been substituted by Iling-Junior and Weston McKennie.
In the 73rd minute, Marusic to Immobile in the box on the right. King Ciro sensing that Marusic would follow the move ,without looking, sent the ball back to the Montenegrin who tried a shot from a favourable position, luckily for Juve Bremer deflected the ball into corner.
In the 80th minute Matteo Guendouzi and Matias Vecino substituted Danilo Cataldi and Kamada, Nikola Sekulov came in for Moise Kean. A few minutes later it was Luis Alberto's moment as he replaced Zaccagni. In the 87th minute the Magician tried a shot which a deflection (not seen by the ref) sent very close to the far post.
In the third minute of injury time, with just a few seconds to go, Felipe Anderson on the left to Guendouzi. The Frenchman had the time to have a look and choose an option, cross towards the far post and Marusic headed the ball into the net. Lazio 1 Juventus 0. Game over.
Who played for Lazio
Mandas, Gila, Romagnoli, Casale, Felipe Anderson, Kamada (80' Guendouzi), Cataldi (80' Vecino), Marusic, Pedro (57' Isaksen), Zaccagni (83' Luis Alberto), Castellanos (57' Immobile).
Substitutes: Sepe, Renzetti, Patric, Hysaj.
Manager: Tudor
Who played for Juventus
Szczęsny, Danilo, Bremer, Rugani, De Sciglio (46' Iling-Junior), Miretti (46' McKennie), Locatelli, Rabiot, Cambiaso (63' Weah), Kean (80' Sekulov), Chiesa (68' Yildiz).
Substitutes: Pinsoglio, Perin, Gatti, Djalò, Nicolussi Caviglia, Nonge.
Manager: Allegri
Referee: Colombo
Goal: 90’ + 3’ Marusic
Booked: Iling-Junior (J), Weah (J), Immobile (L)
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