Seemingly easy game becomes complicated but ends well

Updated: 5 days ago

Season 2014-15

Game 6, Serie A

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Sassuolo 3-2

Lazio cruise, suffer, gain control, suffer again but ultimately win three deserved points

So far in Serie A things had not gone too well. Lazio had played five, won two (Cesena 3-0 at home and Palermo 4-0 away) but lost three (Milan 1-3 away, Genoa 0-1 away and Udinese 0-1 at home). The good news was the most recent match had been the 4-0 in Sicily and Filip Djordjevic got a hat-trick.

Both teams were looking to improve on their league performance so far.

The match

Ticket owned by Dag Jenkins, photo by Dag Jenkins

A classic Sunday 3 o'clock kick-off attracted about 35,000 to the Olimpico.

Lazio started well and after 9 minutes took the lead. Eddy Onazi won a ball and set up Stefano Mauri whose powerful, low shot from 20 metres out found the net. Lazio 1 Sassuolo 0.

Lazio continued attacking and with Pedro Cavanda on the right and Edson Braafheid on the left meant numerical superiority in midfield.

In the 25th minute Lazio made it two. Mauri to Antonio Candreva whose cross from the left was headed in by Djordjevic. Lazio 2 Sassuolo 0.

It was looking easy and Sassuolo looked extremely vulnerable at the back. One minute later however it was Lazio who were slack and conceded. In the 26th minute Nicola Sansone put a clever through ball between the two Lazio central defenders and Berardi raced in centrally and beat Federico Marchetti. Lazio 2 Sassuolo 1.

Sassuolo grew in confidence and Simone Zaza had a dangerous curling shot from just inside the box but it went wide after touching the post. Lazio relied on counter attacks and in the 35th minute had a successful one. Candreva started the break serving Senad Lulic who surged forward towards the right and crossed, Luca Antei dived and tried to hook and bicycle kick the ball away but miskicked and it went only as far as Candreva who controlled the ball and drilled it in. Lazio 3 Sassuolo 1 and halftime score.

Lazio seemingly in control but it was an open game and both defences looked penetrable so there was the feeling it was not over yet.

There were no changes during the interval except Pioli placed Onazi further back centrally. Lazio started well and almost scored immediately with Lulic but in the 51st minute the game changed. Berardi got away from an already booked Lorik Cana who touched him slightly from behind on the left inside the area and the Calabrese striker obviously collapsed leading the referee to point to the penalty spot and showing Cana a second yellow. Berardi took the spot kick and scored despite Marchetti going the right way and almost getting a hand to it. So, Lazio 3 Sassuolo 2, Lazio in ten men and 40 minutes to go, game on.

Pioli immediately redesigned the tactical setup taking midfielder Mauri off and putting on defender Michaël Ciani. Di Francesco responded by replacing midfielder Davide Biondini with more attacking minded Simone Missiroli.

Lazio pulled back but were extremely dangerous on the break. First Candreva charged down the right wing and almost at the by-line put in a low cross which Djordjevic turned towards goal but Andrea Consigli kept it out. Then in the 62th minute came a counter game changer when Federico Peluso, also already booked, pulled back Candreva about to race into the area for a one-on-one with the keeper, the red was a formality. So back to equal numbers.

Lazio then controlled the game well and went close again with Marco Parolo whose powerful, low, long range strike was saved into corner by an outstretched Consigli. The Biancocelesti devoured more opportunities to close the game with Felipe Anderson and Miro Klose and were almost made to pay.

Sassuolo had one last chance to equalise in the dying minutes. Berardi from the right vertex of the area sent in a perfect left-footed curling cross and it was met by Alessandro Longhi whose diving header was parried by Marchetti. Final score Lazio 3 Sassuolo 2, the identical score as the previous year.

A by no means easy win but a deserved one for Lazio. They were on the right tracks but still had to find more balance between the defence and midfield. The standout player was Candreva who had been here, there and everywhere.

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Cavanda, de Vrij, Cana, Braafheid, Onazi, Parolo, Candreva (76' Felipe Anderson), Mauri (51' Ciani), Lulic, Djordjevic (84' Klose)