2022-23 Season
Game 12
October 30, 2022
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Lazio Salernitana 1-3
A disastrous second half by Lazio hands victory to Salernitana. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will miss the derby.
The teams
Maurizio Sarri decides it’s time for Milinkovic-Savic to have a rest also because one more yellow card means that he would be suspended for the derby next Sunday. The only change compared to the game against Atalanta is Luis Alberto in for the Serb. The Salernitana manager Davide Nicola decides to play with Federico Bonazzoli instead of Boulaye Dia who is on the bench.
The match
Lazio start well and have a chance with Mattia Zaccagni in the 8th minute but his shot is too high. In the 10th minute there is a problem for Norbert Gyomber who has to be substituted. Dylan Bronn takes his place.
Then nothing. It is as if Lazio have a bunch of keys but do not know which one will open the door of the Salernitana defence. The Salerno team play well however but are never dangerous. Both teams repeatedly pass the ball around in the hope of opening up the defences.
In the 38th minute Bonazzoli loses the ball and Luis Alberto promptly sends Pedro into the box on the right. His shot is just a fraction wide and shaves the post. Three minutes later Lazio score. Fantastic assist from Luis Alberto to Zaccagni unmarked on the left. The Lazio forward shoots the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs and it's 1-0 for the Biancocelesti.
Second half
Lazio have a massive chance with Matias Vecino after only two minutes. Manuel Lazzari crosses from the right, Felipe Anderson magically heads the ball to Vecino who is all alone in front of Luigi Sepe. The Uruguayan alas shoots directly at the goalkeeper and the chance is gone. This missed opportunity will cost Lazio the match.
Four minutes later splendid chip over the Lazio defence by Pasquale Mazzocchi for Antonio Candreva, on the right just inside the box, he notices Ivan Provedel a bit too far out and with a fantastic lob puts the ball in the net. Great pass and great goal from the former Lazio player.
Lazio are under shock and as usual when things are not going their way they start to get nervous and have difficulty in playing the ball. Salernitana instead are playing well, both confident and dangerous.
Lassana Coulibaly has a chance in the 62nd minute. His shot is well saved by Provedel. Two minutes later in come Milinkovic-Savic for Luis Alberto and Dia for Bonazzoli. In the 66th minute Zaccagni has an opportunity but his shot from just inside the box on the left is saved by Sepe.
Disaster for Lazio in the 68th minute. Mazzocchi crosses from the right, Adam Marusic manages to head the ball away but it falls perfectly for Federico Fazio. 2-1 for Salernitana.
Lazio have a chance to equalise three minutes later. Felipe Anderson on the right crosses the ball into the box, Ivan Radovanovich in an attempt to clear inadvertently passes the ball to Vecino unmarked in front of Sepe. The Uruguayan turns and shoots but it's wide. This was another massive opportunity squandered by Vecino.
Yellow card for Milinkovic-Savic
The whole world knew that one more booking would have translated into a one match suspension for Milinkovic-Savic, thus not allowing him to play next Sunday’s derby against Roma. In the 73rd minute the Sergeant runs forward on the left and just before Bronn can confront him he passes the ball to the right. The two players clash and referee Gianluca Manganiello decides that it's a foul against Lazio and books Sergej. No derby for him. It was not even a foul. Ridiculous decision.
A nervous Lazio are punished again in the 76th minute. Krzysztof Piatek wins the ball off Danilo Cataldi and sends Domagoj Bradaric towards the goal on the left. Great run, ball in the box, Dia scores. 3-1.
The game is over. With ten minutes to go Lazio replace Marusic, Cataldi and Pedro with Elseid Hysaj, Toma Basic and Matteo Cancellieri. Salernitana change Coulibaly and Bradaric with Erik Bohinen and Tonny Vilhena.
Vilhena has a chance to make it four for Salernitana in the third minute of injury time but Provedel saves.
A disastrous night for Lazio. The game was in their hands but they let it slip away. Salernitana played very well and deserved to win but if Vecino had scored …
A note on Milinkovic-Savic’s yellow card. Perhaps Sarri was right in saying that the Italian referees do not like Lazio. It was not a foul full stop. It sounds very, very premeditated by the referee. If one considers that he did the same thing last season with Zaccagni on the eve of the derby booking him for no reason at all. The incredible thing is that the ref apparently asked VAR if the foul was worth a red card!!!
Not a good start to a very important week.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel; Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic (77' Hysaj); Vecino, Cataldi (80' Basic), Luis Alberto (64' Milinkovic-Savic); Pedro (80' Cancellieri), Felipe Anderson, Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Radu, Gila, Kamenovic, Marcos Antonio, Romero.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Salernitana
Sepe; Gyomber (11' Bronn), Daniliuc, Fazio; Mazzocchi, Candreva, Radovanovic, Coulibaly (82' Coulibaly), Bradaric (82' Vilenha); Piatek (82' Botheim), Bonazzoli (64' Dia).
Substitutes: Fiorillo, Micai, Sambia, Valencia, Kastanos, Capezzi, Iervolino, Lovato, Pirola.
Manager: Nicola.
Referee: Manganiello
Goals: 41' Zaccagni, 51' Candreva, 68' Fazio, 76' Dia
Bookings: Coulibaly, Milinkovic-Savic, Marusic, Sepe, Dia, Cancellieri.
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