2022-23 Season
Game 10
October 16, 2022
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Lazio Udinese 0-0
A tough game ends goalless as both teams checkmate each other. Injury for Immobile.
The teams
Maurizio Sarri sends in Nicolò Casale for Patric and Danilo Cataldi for Marcos Antonio compared to the eleven that beat Fiorentina the previous week. Udinese manager Andrea Sottil gives Lazar Samardzic a chance and risks Rodrigo Becao back from injury.
A very important game for both teams. Udinese are doing really well and are one of the surprises in Serie A this year. Not only that, in the previous season the Bianconeri had caused the Biancocelesti huge problems and headaches both at home and away . Has Sarri learnt his lesson?
The match
Both teams start the game very cautiously trying not to give away any counter attacks. That means that it is a very slow game, no gaps, no attempts to create any either.
In the 14th minute, the first chance for Udinese. Lazio’s right flank is left unguarded, Destiny Udogie for Jean-Vicot Makengo, cross to the centre, ball gets to Roberto Pereya who passes to Samardzic. The German hits the top of the crossbar with a shot from outside the box.
Lazio wake up and in six minutes have three chances. In the 23rd minute Mattia Zaccagni runs past Pereya and crosses low for Felipe Anderson who is beaten to the ball by Perez. Three minutes later Manuel Lazzari to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who makes a clever back-heel pass to Felipe Anderson. The Brazilian moves towards the goal and shoots, great save by Marco Silvestri. In the 28th minute Felipe Anderson’s cross in the box is headed almost to perfection by Milinkovic-Savic but the Udinese goalkeeper makes an exceptional save.
Immobile out
On this chance for Lazio, Ciro Immobile goes KO. Muscular problem for Ciro who has to be substituted. In comes Pedro who moves to the right wing with Felipe Anderson centre forward.
Lazio are in shock, without clear ideas what to do with the ball. Felipe Anderson was playing really well on the right, perhaps Pedro should have been placed at centre-forward instead.
The first half practically ends here. Lazio, very careful in defence, probably too scared of Udinese’s counterattack to take any risks.
Second half
The script for the second half is the same as the last 20 minutes of the first. The game is boring, nobody really wants to take any risks, or at least no more than necessary.
Udinese try with Udogie in the 53rd minute and with Gerard Delofeu three minutes later but their shots are wide. The same goes for Zaccagni in the 60th minute.
The stalemate continues so the managers make some changes. Out go Samardzic, Beto and Becao for Udinese and in come Sandi Lovric, Isaac Success and Enzo Ebosse, for Lazio Luis Alberto comes in for Cataldi.
In the 69th minute Casale, in a perfect position from a corner taken by Luis Alberto, is not able to head the ball in the right direction. Three minutes later Delofeu passes to Udogie who sees Pereyra unmarked on the right. Ball to the Argentine who shoots but Ivan Provedel makes a great save.
In the 85th minute Udinese are dangerous. Pereya heads the ball to Delofeu who moves into the box on the right surrounded by three players. His shot clips the top of the crossbar.
Two minutes from the end Matteo Cancellieri replaces Felipe Anderson, but Lazio have run out of steam and Udinese do not want to risk anything.
It’s tough without Immobile….
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi (66' Luis Alberto), Vecino, Felipe Anderson (88' Cancellieri), Immobile (30' Pedro), Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Patric, Radu, Hysaj, Gila, Kamenovic, Marcos Antonio, Basic, Romero.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Udinese
Silvestri, Beaco (63' Ebosse), Bijol, Perez, Pereyra, Samardzic (63' Lovric), Walace, Makengo (70' Arslan), Udogie (83' Ehizibue), Deulofeu, Beto (63' Success).
Substitutes: Padelli, Piana, Ebosele, Jajalo, Abankwah, Nuytinck, Nestorovski.
Manager: Sottil.
Referee: Colombo
Bookings: Becao, Perez, Milinkovic-Savic, Lovric, Ehizibue
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