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Writer's pictureDag Jenkins

The Eagle has fallen

Updated: May 28

Game 28, Serie A

Monday, March 11, 2024

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Udinese 1-2


An awful performance by Lazio leads to a home defeat against pedestrian but yet superior Udinese.


Official SS Lazio photo

The teams


Lazio were without the three players all sent off in their previous match, defenders Luca Pellegrini and Adam Marusic plus midfielder Matteo Guendouzi. Maurizio Sarri decided on Manuel Lazzari, Elseid Hysaj and Danilo Cataldi to replace them. Missing through injury were also defender Patric and midfielder Niccolò Rovella. Up front the chosen trio was Felipe Anderson-Ciro Immobile-Mattia Zaccagni.

 

Udinese too had two players suspended, Walace and Festy Ebosele. The Friulani also had long term injury Gerard Deulofeu and Enzo Ebosse out with knee problems.

 

Lazio, in 7th place, needed a win this evening against lowly Udinese, struggling in 18th .

 

First half


A Monday night kick-off saw about 35,000 spectators at the Olimpico.

 

Lazio started off reasonably positively and almost took the lead immediately. In the 4th minute Mattia Zaccagni had a long range curling effort come back off the right post.

 

Lazio continued to go forward, forcing a series of corners and by the 20th minute had 73% of possession. Efforts off target by Mario Gila and Ciro Immobile were followed by a huge chance in the 28th minute. It was Zaccagni again but he could not coordinate himself properly and his shot from a favourable position was walled.

 

Lazio had further shots with Luis Alberto and Zaccagni but lacked precision.

 

At this point Udinese plucked up a bit of courage and in the 33rd minute Sandi Lovric had a volley on target but Ivan Provedel saved. In the 37th minute the Bianconeri then had a Hassane Kamara low, close range lunging effort saved into corner by Ivan Provedel. On the subsequent corner Lautaro Giannetti's header looping header was tipped over the bar by the Lazio keeper. Half time Lazio 0 Udinese 0.

 

Lazio were well on top for the first half hour but Udinese had then grown into the game and had a few chances of their own.

 

Second half


For the second period Sarri replaced a poor Felipe Anderson with Gustav Isaksen.

 

Udinese however started off as they had finished and took the lead immediately. In the 47th minute Florian Thauvin from the right squared to Kamara at the edge of the box and he drilled a low shot towards goal where Lorenzo Lucca stretched and deflected it in from close range. Lazio 0 Udinese 1. The visitors were ahead and by now not undeservedly.

 

Lazio levelled straight away. Two minutes later Zaccagni went down the left and cut into the area where he tried to pull the ball back but it ricocheted off Giannetti and surprised Maduka Okoye for Lazio's equaliser. Lazio 1 Udinese 1.

 

Lazio however had not learned their lesson and Udinese took back the lead in the 51st minute. Lovric did well near the right byline, getting the ball back to Tauvin who set up Oier Zarraga, the Spaniard fired a low right footed shot in on the near post. Lazio 1 Udinese 2 and three goals in the space of four minutes.

 

In the 57th minute Isaksen put Manuel Lazzari through on goal who pushed it fractionally too far and when he shot the keeper was on him and deflected the ball out to Isaksen who shot again but Okoye got up and saved brilliantly into corner.

 

The keeper repeated himself a minute later when an Immobile shot was somehow trickling in near the right post but he dived low and clawed the ball away.

 

On the hour mark Lazio threw on Daichi Kamada for Danilo Cataldi and Taty Castellanos for Immobile but Lazio went flat.

 

The Biancocelesti were unable to create any further threats. In the 75th minute Pedro came on for Luis Alberto but were physically and mentally down and out.

 

If anything it was Udinese who went closer when in the 92nd minute Provedel lost the ball when trying to dribble Lucca but Lazzari saved on the line as the ball was slowly going in.

 

In the 94th minute the Friulani were reduced to ten men when Nehuén Perez got a second yellow for pulling back Zaccagni by his shirt.

 

Lazio though had no fire left and Udinese rode out the last few minutes of pressure without running any risks. Final score Lazio 1 Udinese 2.

 

A deserved win for the "Zebrette" against a lacklustre Lazio. The Bianconeri were an extremely mediocre team but a decent defensive display and a few attacks was all it took to get the better of the current Lazio.

 

A terrible and unexpected defeat for the Romans who saw a European qualification as a mirage at the moment. After a promising start the team had slowly but surely collapsed. Some changes were necessary and in fact would come the day after...


Who played for Lazio


Provedel (90'+9' Mandas), Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Hysaj, Vecino, Cataldi (60' Kamada), Luis Alberto (81' Pedro), Felipe Anderson (46' Isaksen), Immobile (60' Castellanos), Zaccagni

Substitutes: Sepe, Casale, Ruggeri, Coulibaly

Manager: Sarri

 

Who played for Udinese


Okoye, Ferreira (77' Bijol), Giannetti, Perez, Pereyra, Lovric, Zarraga, Payero (74' Samardzic), Kamara (74' Zemura), Thauvim (90'+1 Davis), Lucca

Substitutes: Silvestri, Padelli, Success, Tikvic, Ehizibue, Brenner, Kabasele, Kristensen

Manager: Cioffi

 

Referee: Aureliano

 

Goals: 47' Lucca, 49' Giannetti (og), 51' Zarraga

 

Bookings: Perez (U), F.Anderson (L), Romagnoli (L), Okoye (U), Bijol (U), Lucca (U), Samardzic (U), Vecino (L)


Red Card: 90+4' Perez (U)

 

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