Game 24, Serie A
Monday, February 13, 2017
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Milan 1-1
Lazio superior but fail to close out game and are punished late on by Suso
Lazio were currently in 4th place, on 43 points. A week earlier the Biancocelesti had thrashed Pescara 6-2 away.
In Coppa Italia, Lazio had qualified for the semi-finals to be played in March-April against Roma. The Biancocelesti had eliminated Genoa 4-2 at home and then Inter 2-1 away.
Milan were currently in 7th place, on 40 points.
An open game today with only three points between them in the table, although on recent form Lazio could be considered slight favourites.
The match
An 8.45 kick-off on a cold, humid February evening only attracted about 20,000 spectators to the Olimpico.
Lazio were without Luis Alberto and Danilo Cataldi, while Milan were missing Alessio Romagnoli, Giacomo Bonaventura and Riccardo Montolivo.
Lazio started out on the attack and had several chances to take the lead. Keita Balde had a shot saved in two attempts by Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Biglia had a thundering shot from outside the box parried by the keeper, Ciro Immobile had a header go just wide, Keita tried but Donnarumma saved in two attempts again, Immobile pulled a left foot slightly wide, Wesley Hoedt had a close-range effort well saved and on the rebound the Dutch defender was just off target. What about Milan?
The visitors only chance came from a huge Dušan Basta mistake which sent Lucas Ocampos clear on the left side of the area where he shot low on the far post, but Thomas Strakosha dived low to his left and blocked.
Then it was all Lazio again. In the 45th minute Felipe Anderson squared low into the area from the right and Immobile controlled it, glided past a defender and then went past Donnarumma too who pulled him down for a penalty. Biglia took it and blasted a medium height shot to the right of Donnarumma who went the right way and almost touched it but the shot was too powerful. Lazio 1 Milan 0.
A more than deserved lead for Lazio who should have been two or three goals clear already.
Lazio were superior in the second half too. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic narrowly failed to get a touch in front of goal from a low Anderson cross from the left and then Anderson himself had two shots which shaved the woodwork.
Milan's only answer was a José Sosa long distance freekick well parried by Strakosha into corner.
Lazio wanted a second and a Milinkovic-Savic curler on the far post went just wide and then Immobile had an enormous chance as, following a fortuitous ricochet from a Senad Lulic initiative, he found himself with just Donnarumma to beat but was unable to angle his low shot enough and the big keeper dived down to his left and saved.
The laws of football are simple, if you have the chances and don't take them it is extremely likely you will be made to pay. This is what happened in the 85th minute when Suso did well to keep the ball between three defenders and stroke a low curling left foot inside the far post. A snooker like shot and an excellent goal but completely against the run of play. Lazio 1 Milan 1 and final score.
A game dominated by Lazio who could have scored five or six. Lazio only had themselves to blame for not putting the devils out of their misery. Milan did practically nothing but thanked Suso's late master stroke to salvage a point.
Lazio slipped down to 6th, on 44 points, overtaken by both Inter and Atalanta. Milan were still 7th, on 41 points.
Who played for Lazio
Strakosha, Basta, de Vrij, Hoedt, Radu (86' Patric), Parolo, Biglia, Milinkovic-Savic, Felipe Anderson (86' Lombardi), Immobile, Keita (64' Lulic)
Manager: S. Inzaghi
Who played for Milan
Donnarumma, Abate, Zapata, Gomez, Vangioni, Pasalic, Poli (77' Mati Fernandez), Locatelli (52' Sosa), Suso, Deulofeu, Ocampos (62' Lapadula)
Substitutes: Storari, Plizzari, Zucchetti, El Hilali, Honda, Bertolacci, Bacca
Manager: Montella
Referee: Damato
Goals: 45+1 Biglia (pen), 85' Suso
Sources
Comentarios