Game 32, Serie A
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Sampdoria 2-0
Lazio beat Sampdoria and continue to have European hopes
At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were ninth, miles away from everything. Manager Vladimir Petković was sacked before Christmas and Edy Reja came back.
The change seemed to solve things. Lazio were back and in the first six games under Reja came 12 points which included beating Inter and drawing against Roma. The Biancocelesti were currently 8th, two points from a possible Europa League qualification.
The match
It was pretty hot in Rome today and that certainly affected play which was slow, very slow. In the 23rd minute the first chance of the match was for Samp. Manolo Gabbiadini received a low pass from a corner and volleyed towards the goal. His shot shaved the crossbar. Around the 30th minute, splendid pass from Eddy Onazi to Antonio Candreva who ignored Senad Lulic in the middle of the box and tried a shot, saved by Angelo Da Costa.
Keita Balde in the 42nd minute went off on the right, magnificent low cross to the middle where Candreva volleyed the ball into the net. Keita had another chance towards the end of the half. He ran off leaving a couple of defenders behind but when it was time to shoot Shkodran Mustafi managed to intervene and avert the threat.
The second half opened with a free kick by Gabbiadini, tipped over the bar by Etrit Berisha. In the 56th minute the possible game changer. Lucas Biglia got a second yellow card and left for an early shower. Reja took off Helger Postiga and threw in Stefano Mauri, with Keita the only forward. The Spaniard in the 68th minute went off on the left and put another splendid ball in the middle of the box, Mustafi avoided danger by deflecting it into corner. After a long range shot by Gianluca Sansone comfortably parried by Berisha, in the 73rd minute Lazio made it two. Candreva to Mauri in the box on the left near the byline, perfect assist for Lulic, Lazio 2 Sampdoria 0.
The Genoese tried to reduce the deficit but apart from an Angelo Palombo freekick that shaved the post and two penalty appeals, they could not muster much else.
Good win for Lazio, but still two points away from a Europa League qualification
Who played for Lazio
Berisha, Konko, Biava, Cana, Radu, Onazi, Biglia, Lulic (77’ Minala), Candreva, Postiga (61’ Mauri), Keita (88’ Perea)
Substitutes: Strakosha, Guerrieri, Ciani, Serpieri, Pereirinha, Cavanda, Felipe Anderson, Kakuta
Manager: Reja
Who played for Sampdoria
Da Costa, De Silvestri, Mustafi, Regini, Berardi, Palombo, Krsticic (74' Renan), Gabbiadini (58' Sansone), Eder, Soriano, Maxi Lopez (61' Okaka)
Substitutes: Fiorillo, Falcone, Costa, Fornasier, Bjarnason, Obiang, M. Rodriguez, Wszolek, Salamon
Manager: Mihajlovic (Sakic on the bench)
Referee: Calvarese
Goals: 42’ Candreva, 73’ Lulic
Sources
Comments