Game 12, Serie A
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Roma 0-0
Lazio dangerous in the first half, Roma more in control in the second. Goalless draw inevitable.
The team
Maurizio Sarri decided he needed a playmaker in the centre of midfield, so Danilo Cataldi was chosen alongside Luis Alberto, not 100%, and Matteo Guendouzi. In defence Adam Marusic returned from injury and up front Pedro substituted injured Mattia Zaccagni.
First half
The first 15 minutes were all Roma. Despite the territorial advantage, they only managed a couple of shots at goal with Rick Karsdorp. The first in the 13th minute when Leonardo Spinazzola crossed from the left, Marusic stopped with his chest but served an assist to the Dutchman who quickly fired a ball towards Ivan Provedel who parried, Bryan Cristante scored the tap in but he was in off side. Two minutes later another Spinazzola cross in the box found Karsdorp alone at the edge of the right hand side of the box, his volley however was too high. The Giallorossi stopped there.
In the 25th minute Felipe Anderson on the right, ball to Luis Alberto outside the box but central. Curling shot, post!!!! A magnificent but unlucky effort. At this point Lazio took control of the game and started to press Roma back. Free kick from about 40 metres centre right. Luis Alberto crossed into the box, Rui Patricio made an excellent save on an Alessio Romagnoli header. In the 44th minute the biggest chance of the match. Guendouzi crossed low towards the centre of the box for Luis Alberto who shot the ball too high. Enormous opportunity.
Second half
Roma immediately took back control of the game in the second half. Lazio looked tired with many players with physical problems. In the 48th minute Paolo Dybala headed a Spinazzola cross wide. The Giallorossi pressed the Biancoceleste defence but were hardly ever dangerous. In the 71st minute Dybala gave a great ball to Edoardo Bove but Manuel Lazzari managed to clear into corner. In the 65th minute Matias Vecino and Gustav Isaksen substituted Cataldi and Pedro. The Uruguayan tried a shot from outside the box in the 73rd minute but it was comfortably saved by Rui Patricio.
Nothing else happened apart from the substitutions: Vecino got injured after his shot and in came Nicolò Rovella, later on Elseid Hysaj for Marusic and Daichi Kamada for Felipe Anderson. For Roma, Renato Sanches, Sardar Azmoun, Zeki Celik and Rasmus Kristensen substituted Bove, Dybala, Karsdorp and Spinazzola.
Despite all the substitutions, several animated confrontations between players and stoppages for various injuries, the ref gave only three minutes of added time. He could not wait to end this game and even blew up with a few seconds to go. He had clearly had enough.
A tense game, Lazio a little bit unlucky. The game against Feyenoord had sapped a lot of strength out of the players and they really could not do more.
A word of praise for Curva Nord and Tribuna Tevere, spectacular show. Not really sure what Curva Sud was trying to say. Descendants of Mars? Weird.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Marusic (81' Hysaj), Guendouzi, Cataldi (64' Vecino, 74' Rovella), Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson (81`' Kamada), Immobile, Pedro (64' Isaksen).
Substitutes: Sepe, Mandas, Casale, Pellegrini, Gila, Kamada, Basic, Castellanos, Sanà Fernandes.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Roma
Rui Patricio, Mancini, Llorente, N`Dicka, Karsdorp (85' Celik), Cristante, Paredes, Bove (81' Renato Sanches), Spinazzola (90' Kristensen), Dybala (81' Azmoun), Lukaku.
Substitutes: Svilar, Boer, Pellegrini, Belotti, Sanches, Aouar, Zalewski, Pagano, El Shaarawy.
Manager: Mourinho
Referee: Massa
Booked: Mancini (R), N`Dicka (R), Lukaku (R), Immobile (L), Luis Alberto (L), Patric (L), Azmoun (R)
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