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Writer's pictureSimon Basten

Gift not enough for win

Updated: May 28

Game 35, Serie A

Saturday, May 4, 2024

U-Power Stadium, Monza

Monza Lazio 2-2

 

Monza gifts a goal in the final minutes but Lazio cannot hold on to the win


Official SS Lazio photo

The team

 

With Mario Gila out due to injury, Igor Tudor decided to put Elseid Hysaj rather than Nicolò Casale in defence and try out Ciro Immobile once again at the centre of attack. The good news however was the return of Mattia Zaccagni in the starting eleven.

 

First half

 

Lazio started in attacking mode but it was Monza to first go closer to scoring. In the 5th minute an Andrea Colpani-Milan Djuric one-two, the Bosnian on the left in the box went past Patric and tried a shot from a difficult angle. The ball shaved the far post.

 

In the 11th minute Adam Marusic crossed from the right into the area, Luis Alberto dummied for nobody, the Monza defence cleared but it was a pass to Daichi Kamada who, from just outside the box, tried a shot. Michele Di Gregorio was taken by surprise but managed to lift the ball onto the crossbar, a perfect gift for Immobile who had no problem tapping the ball in.

 

At this point Lazio disappeared from the game and Monza took control. In the 23rd minute Colpani crossed into the box from the right, Valentin Carboni was perfect with his timing but headed the ball out. The Uruguayan in the 38th minute crossed again from the right this time for Warren Bondo, who from a very favourable position yet again headed the ball wide.

 

Seven minutes earlier, Tudor had been forced to substitute Zaccagni with Casale. The Lazio winger had been booked and then gone very near a second yellow card, so the Lazio manager had to take him off before further damage could be done. Casale went into defence and Hysaj took the archer’s place.

 

During the first half there was an attempt by Georgios Kyriakopoulos to take off Immobile’s shirt in the box during a corner. A clear penalty ignored by the ref, VAR and the Italian media.

 

Second half

 

Monza continued playing well and in the 61st minute Colpani dribbled past Patric and Christos Mandas but was too close to the byline to be able to shoot. He tried a cross which Mandas parried into corner.

 

Tudor sensing the danger, changed three immediately. In came Matias Vecino, Danilo Cataldi and Taty Castellanos for Kamada, Luis Alberto and Immobile. Monza also changed three. Out went Georgios Kyriakopoulos, Carboni and Samuele Birindelli, in came Dany Mota, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and Giulio Donati.

 

Tudor had hoped to transform Lazio, but the Biancocelesti were MIA. In the 74th minute Donati crossed into the box, Matteo Pessina anticipated Felipe Anderson and headed the ball towards the goal, Mandas saved, but Djuric was ready for the tap in. Monza 1 Lazio 1.

 

The game quietened down a little bit. The hosts were content with the draw and the Biancocelesti were not able to create anything. Pedro substituted Felipe Anderson and in the 83rd minute Armando Izzo passed an innocuous ball into no man’s land, Vecinio beat Akpra Akpro for speed and deposited the ball into the net. A marvellous gift.



Monza had to start all over again. In went Gianluca Caprari for Bondo and in the 89th minute a wonderful shot from way out by Pablo Mari was saved well by Mandas into corner. Monza insisted and in the 92nd minute got their deserved equaliser. Pessina crossed from the left and Djuric anticipated Alessio Romagnoli and headed the ball in.

 

A wasted opportunity.

 

Who played for Monza

 

Di Gregorio, Izzo, Djuric, Birindelli (71' Donati), Zerbin (78' Caldirola), Carboni (71' Akpa Akpro), Mari, Colpani, Pessina, Bondo (86' Caprari), Kyriakopoulos (71' Mota)

Substitutes: Sorrentino, Gori, Colombo, Pedro Pereira, D`Ambrosio, Ferraris

Manager: Palladino.

 

Who played for Lazio

 

Mandas, Patric, Romagnoli, Hysaj, Marusic, Guendouzi, Kamada (64' Vecino), Zaccagni (32' Casale), Felipe Anderson (82' Pedro), Luis Alberto (64' Cataldi), Immobile (64' Castellanos)

Substitutes: Sepe, Provedel, Pellegrini, Isaksen, Gonzalez, Lazzari, Rovella

Manager: Tudor

 

Referee: Pairetto

 

Goals: 11' Immobile, 75' Djuric, 83' Vecino, 90'+2' Djuric

 

Bookings: Zaccagni (L), Casale (L), Kamada (L), Romagnoli (L), Patric (L), Vecino (L), Cataldi (L), Donati (M)

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