2022-2023 Season
Game 6
September 11, 2022
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Lazio-Verona 2-0
Immobile and Luis Alberto give Lazio three points in an extremely complicated game against Verona
The teams
Maurizio Sarri makes a few changes compared to previous games. Marcos Antonio starts in place of Danilo Cataldi who got a one-game suspension due to blasphemy, just one final added bonus from the Lazio-Napoli game. Due to this decision Luis Alberto is on the bench. Sarri thinks that a midfield made up of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Marcos Antonio and Luis Alberto is a bit too lightweight, at least for the moment. Also in the team today is Nicolò Casale as Alessio Romagnoli is not 100%. Just one change for Verona: Federico Ceccherini takes the place of Pawel Dawidowicz in defence.
The match
Both teams are very cautious. The man- to-man marking by Verona last year gave them a lot of headaches, so today Lazio started rather cautiously, similar to how they played against Torino. Presumably Sarri thinks that at a certain point Verona are inevitably going to tire so there is no need to give them any unnecessary chances.
The first scoring opportunity for Lazio comes in the 19th minute when Felipe Anderson tries to dribble the entire Verona defence only to kick the ball way too high once in front of the goal. Immediately after Kevin Lasagna flies past the Lazio defenders but his shot is wide.
The biggest opportunity for Lazio comes in the 27th minute. Mattia Zaccagni to Ciro Immobile who sets Toma Basic for the shot. His whack is deflected onto the woodwork by Lorenzo Montipò.
Four minutes later Ivan Provedel clears his penalty box only to pass the ball to Filippo Terracciano just over the halfway line. His lob does not even go near the goal. Verona lose Miguel Veloso in the 36th minute due to injury. He is substituted by Adrien Tameze.
Another chance for Lazio in the 42nd minute. Manuel Lazzari charges down the centre right again and goes into the penalty box. Instead of passing the ball to his expectant teammates, he shoots … wide.
In the second minute of injury time, an Ivan Ilic corner reaches Thomas Henry. His shot bounces on top of the cross bar.
Better second half
After nine minutes of the second half, Sarri decides it’s time for Luis Alberto. Basic is the sacrificial lamb. In the 60th minute another two changes for Verona: Ceccherini and Terracciano are substituted by Juan David Cabal and Fabio Depaoli. Five minutes later Lazio make another two changes: Felipe Anderson and Marcos Antonio are substituted by Matteo Cancellieri and Matias Vecino, the hero of the match against Feyenoord.
Luis Alberto has a chance to put Lazio in the lead in the 65th minute. Milinkovic-Savic passes the ball to the Spaniard who has to take a few strides to reach it, doing so just outside of the penalty box near the goal line. Ball to Adam Marusic who, with his back to the goal, passes it to Immobile. Ball back to Luis Alberto who in the meantime has sneaked into the box but the shot is wide.
Immobile
Verona are pulling back a little and Lazio start to threaten. In the 68th minute Milinkovic-Savic puts a perfect cross into the penalty box from the right. Montipò stays put and Immobile, on the far left, beats Isak Hien and heads the ball in. 1-0 for Lazio.
Verona make the last two changes: in come Ajdin Hrustic and Yaya Kallon (very interesting player, by the way) substituting Darko Lazovic and Lasagna. Lazzari suffers an injury in the 75th minute and Elseid Hysaj takes his place as right back.
Verona try to equalize but its Lazio who have a couple more chances. In the 78th minute Immobile gets away from his marker but his shot is saved by the goalkeeper who then is quicker than Ciro to steal the rebound from his feet. Montipò saves again from a Cancellieri shot five minutes later.
In the first minute of injury time Verona almost equalise. Henry dispossesses Hysaj and crosses to Ilic. He has the time and the gap to put the ball past Provedel but his shot is too central and the Lazio goalkeeper saves. Four minutes later Lazio make it two. Zaccagni gets hold of a loose ball and moves to the far left at the top of the penalty box. Ball to Luis Alberto just outside who shoots. 2-0 for Lazio. Game over.
Lazio perhaps did not play especially well, but they showed maturity and patience. They had a game plan and stuck to it.
A brief note on the referee. Despite the fears following the previous Serie A game, Massimiliano Irrati refereed very well and, in particular, was coherent in his decisions.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari (75' Hysaj), Patric, Casale, Marusic; Basic (55' Luis Alberto), Marcos Antonio (65' Vecino), Milinkovic-Savic, Felipe Anderson (65' Cancellieri), Immobile, Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Romagnoli, Gila, Radu, Kamenovic, Bertini, Romero.
Manager Sarri
Who played for Verona
Montipò, Ceccherini (61' Cabal), Hien, Coppola, Terracciano (61' De Paoli), Ilic, Veloso (36' Tameze), Doig, Lazovic (70' Hrustic), Lasagna (70' Kallon), Henry.
Substitutes: Berardi, Perilli, Faraoni, Verdi, Hongla, Djuric, Piccoli, Gunter, Dawidowicz, Cortinovis.
Manger: Cioffi
Referee: Irrati
Goals: 69 Immobile, 90'+5' Luis Alberto
Bookings: Veloso, Ceccherini, Coppola, Cabal, Luis Alberto, Hien, Hysaj.
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