Lazio-Parma 4-1

Season 2018-19

Game 28, Serie A

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Parma 4-1

Lazio score four in first half to blow away Ducali visitors

In Serie A, Lazio were currently in joint 9th place on 42 points, 8 points from 4th placed Inter (in last CL slot). Lazio had won 12, drawn 6 and lost 8. Lazio however were going through a good spell of form, in the last 3 games they had won 2 (including Roma 3-0) and drawn 1 (Fiorentina 1-1 away). Lazio also had a game in hand as the home game against Udinese, scheduled for February 24, had been postponed to April 17.

In Serie A, Parma were currently 11th on 33 points. They had won 9 (including Inter 1-0 away), drawn 6 (including Juventus 3-3 away) and lost 12 (including Lazio 0-2). They were virtually safe as they had twelve points on Bologna in 18th place but not arithmetically.

Lazio were favourites today but Parma were a decent mid-table side.

The match

A classic 3 p.m. Sunday kick-off with decent weather brought about 40,000 spectators to the Olympic stadium.

Lazio were without top striker Ciro Immobile who was suspended while Parma had midfielder Leo Štulac missing.

Parma started off playing like a team who did not have much more to ask from the season while Lazio looked a lot hungrier.

In the 19th minute however the visitors had a penalty appeal when Roberto Inglese was "sandwiched" between goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha and defender Stefan Radu. The Tuscan referee Banti saw nothing seriously wrong and played on.

It was the only time the visitors would visit the Lazio area who from then on dominated.

In the 22nd minute the Biancocelesti took the lead. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic put in a low through ball into the right side of the area which Adam Marusic ran onto and beat Luigi Sepe on the front post with a low drive. The keeper was not impeccable but Lazio 1 Parma 0.

Four minutes later Lazio were awarded a penalty. Senad Lulic crossed from the left and Simone Iacoponi touched it with his open arm while jumping. A clear infringement in today's game, where you have the almost impossible task of jumping, tackling and sliding with your arms stuck by your side. Luís Alberto's spot kick was not great but went under Sepe's body to give Lazio the double lead, 2-0.

Parma had no reaction and in the 38th minute Lazio scored again. A good team move set up Luís Alberto at the edge of the box and his powerful low drive beat Sepe again. Lazio 3 Parma 0.

Just before halftime it got worse for the visitors. In the 44th minute Lazio had a corner kick from the right but Luis Alberto, instead of swinging it high into the area, cut it back low to the edge where Lulic blasted in a low shot to Sepe's left. Halftime Lazio 4 Parma 0 and practically game over already.

The second half was more like a friendly. Lazio had more chances with Joaquín Correa and then just controlled the game. Both Lucas Leiva (60th minute) and Senad Lulic (76th), who were both one yellow card from a suspension, were taken off and replaced by Danilo Cataldi and Riza Durmisi while young Pedro Neto was given a chance from the 65th taking Felipe Caicedo's place.

Parma also made two changes; Fabio Ceravolo for Luca Siligardi in the 57th minute and Mattia Sprocati for an out of position Jonathan Biabiany in the 70th.

It took the former Lazio owned player only seven minutes to get on the scoresheet albeit with the help of a massive blunder by Patric. In the 77th minute the Spanish defender completely mishit a pass back to the keeper from just outside the area on the left and Sprocati thanked, ran on a few metres and curled a low shot in on the far post. Lazio 4 Parma 1.

Luís Alberto almost made it five with a wonderful curling shot from outside the box on the left but it went just wide. Very close to a hat-trick for the Andalusian who had a brilliant game. Final score Lazio 4 Parma 1.

A convincing and comfortable win for the Biancocelesti against a poor and apathetic Parma side. Without talisman Immobile the midfielders had stepped up and given a good contribution of goals.

Lazio now moved up to joint 7th with Atalanta on 45 points and, with a game in hand, only two points behind Roma who had lost 2-1 at SPAL. Parma were on 33 and joint 11th with Genoa and now a slightly less reassuring 9-point cushion on the relegation zone.

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Patric, Acerbi, Radu, Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva (60' Cataldi), Luís Alberto, Lulic (76' Durmisi), Correa, Caicedo (65' Neto)