Game 2, Europa League Group Phase
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Olympique Nice 4-1
Lazio dominate Nice on a very, very wet night
The team
As the previous week, Marco Baroni made numerous changes compared to the Sunday game. In came Christos Mandas, Adam Marusic, Patric, Luca Pellegrini, Matías Vecino, Loum Tchaouna, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Pedro.
First half
Under pouring rain, the game began slowly. In the 11th minute Marusic on the counter attack put a great ball in the box from the right, Pedro was anticipated by a Nice defender into corner. The Spaniard took the corner, high ball towards the middle of the box but on the left, Taty Castellanos headed the ball from quite far out and hit the crossbar. A minute later Vecino from outside the penalty area tried a shot, deflection, crossbar number two.
Lazio were on the front foot and in the 20th minute scored. Another corner, Pedro crossed for Patric who headed the ball towards the goal, Jonathan Clauss saved on the line, Hichem Boudaoui tried to clear, in came Pedrito who sent a missile under the crossbar. 1-0 for the Biancocelesti.
Olympique then took control of the game as Lazio concentrated on exploiting the counter attack. Boudaoui tried a shot in the 30th minute that Mandas had no problem saving. In the 35th minute Tchaouna to Pedro, great pass for Castellanos who in front of Marcin Bulka, chipped him for the 2-0. A birthday goal for Taty.
Nice began to be a bit more dangerous and the Lazio midfield suffered a little bit. In the 41st minute Jeremie Boga – Youssoufa Moukoko one -two, the former Sassuolo player beat the defence and drilled the ball past Mandas.
The French team and their very loud fans believed in a comeback, and they put their foot on the accelerator, but the Biancocelesti managed to hold tight, though not without difficulty.
Second half
Baroni, seeing his team in trouble in midfield, during the interval left Tchaouna and Dele-Bashiru in the changing rooms and sent in Mattia Zaccagni and Nicolò Rovella. Lazio now with a 4-3-3 squad. In the meantime the weather got worse and there was a constant downpour.
The Biancocelesti were immediately dangerous. In the 47th minute Pedro to Castellanos to Vecino, back to Pedro but his shot just inside the box was too weak and central. In the 53rd minute Lazio on the counter attack, Rovella to Castellanos who ran in the box, feigned a shot which Pablo Rosario fell for, dribbled past Clauss, and put the ball into the top right hand corner for his brace. The linesman had his flag up for offside but VAR then gave the goal.
Lazio in total control and always dangerous. But the rain had by now made the pitch unplayable in some parts especially on the left. The ball refused to roll and it was practically impossible to play. There were also problems in front of Lazio's penalty box.
Baroni made his third substitution in the 64th minute with Boulaye Dia in for Vecino.
A minute later, Rovella to Castellanos on the right, Taty tried to dribble past the keeper who fouled him. Penalty for the Biancocelesti and Zaccagni made it 4-1.
Nice at this point made four substitutions: in came Tanguy Ndombele, Evann Guessand, Ali Abdi and Mohamed-Ali Cho, out went Boudaoui, Boga, Clauss and Badredine Bouanani. Lazio changed Mario Gila with Alessio Romagnoli.
Ndombele in the 72nd minute was dangerous on the rain drenched pitch. He went off on the left in the box and tried to beat Mandas who saved then Pellegrini cleared. In the 79th Moukoko tried a shot from outside the area but Mandas managed to parry without too much trouble. A minute earlier Manuel Lazzari had come in for Marusic and Sofiane Diop for Pablo Rosario.
But playing football now was extremely difficult with comical scenes as the players literally swam in the Olimpico marshes.
Lazio brought home another three points in this Europa League and were now top.
Who played for Lazio
Mandas, Marusic (78` Lazzari), Gila (68` Romagnoli), Patric, Pellegrini, Guendouzi, Vecino (63` Dia), Tchaouna (46` Zaccagni), Dele-Bashiru (46` Rovella), Pedro, Castellanos
Substitutes: Provedel, Furlanetto, Gigot, Isaksen, Nuno Tavares
Manager: Baroni
Who played for Olympique Nice
Bulka, Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante, Clauss (67` Abdi), Rosario (77` Diop), Boudaoui (67` Ndombelè), Louchet, Bouanani (67` Cho), Boga (67` Guessand), Moukoko
Substitutes: Dupè, Boulhendi, Abdelmonem, Mendy, Camara, Orakpo
Manager: Haise
Referee: Feșnic (Romania)
Goals: 20' Pedro, 35' Castellanos, 41' Boga, 55' Castellanos, 67' Zaccagni (pen)
Bookings: Louchet (N), Bombito (N), Zaccagni (L), Bulka (N), Pellegrini (L)
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