Game 34, Serie A
Sunday, April 30 2017
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Roma Lazio 1-3
A Keita double and a Basta goal allow Lazio to beat Roma despite ridiculous refereeing
Lazio were fourth, too far away from Champions league qualification (only the first three teams could play in the European first tier) but with an eight point cushion over Inter, seventh, so, with five games to go to the end of the season, a return to European football was a very strong possibility.
First though, got to beat Roma.
The match
Unfortunately at the last moment Ciro Immobile dropped out of the match due to a bout of flu. Keita was chosen to be the solitary centre-forward with six players at midfield.
Roma started the game a lot better than Lazio who needed time to figure out how to play with the new 3-6-1 module. In the 2nd minute Kevin Strootman to Edin Dzeko who dribbled Stefan de Vrij and was all alone on the left just in front of Thomas Strakosha. His shot was saved into corner by the Lazio goalkeeper. In the 8th minute Mohamed Salah was unstoppable for Jordan Lukaku on the right inside the penalty box. The Egyptian shot was again saved by Strakosha.
In the 10th minute Senad Lulic slalomed through the Roma defence and once in the box very near the goal line he passed towards the centre. The Giallorossi defence cleared but the ball was picked up by Lucas Biglia. His shot went just wide.
Two minutes later, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from the centre of the pitch just over the half way line passed the ball to Keita Balde just outside the box. The Senegalese moved towards the area and once inside he went for goal. His shot went under Emerson Palmieri's legs and beat Wojciech Szczesny. 1-0 for Lazio!!!
In the 16th minute a Lukaku-Lulic one -two and the former flew towards the penalty box. Once inside,, the Belgian was clearly fouled by Federico Fazio. Penalty? Not for Daniele Orsato. With VAR the decision would almost certainly be reversed but we would have to wait until next season. In the 18th minute a good shot from Marco Parolo was saved into corner by Szczesny.
Roma disappeared and Lazio had another opportunity on the counter attack in the 36th minute. Keita easily ran into the Roma box but just when he was about to create something dangerous he slipped. The Roma defence cleared but Parolo was ready for the shot. Well saved by the keeper.
Lukaku never recovered from the 16th minute foul and had to be replaced in the 43rd by Felipe Anderson.
In the 44th minute Antonio Rudiger to Salah in the box, ball towards Strootman. Wallace tried to tackle him but missed both ball and player. The Dutchman however collapsed on the ground. Much to the disbelief of all present (except the hilarious Roma Channel commentators), Orsato gave Roma a penalty. It was never a penalty. Nice and effective piece of acting from Strootman. Daniele De Rossi took the spot kick and scored. After he ran towards the Lazio bench and made a rude gesture, not sanctioned by the ref.
The second half opened with a miraculous save by Strakosha. In the 48th minute Salah in the box on the right, ball towards the centre for Dzeko who volleyed it towards the goal. Strakosha had an incredible reflex and saved into corner.
In the 49th minute, Lulic on the left crossed, a deflection by a Rome defender cleared the ball outside the box but Dusan Basta picked it up, chested it down, moved forward and volleyed it towards the goal. The ball was deflected by Fazio, hit the inside left hand post and went into the goal. Lazio were deservedly in front again, especially after that ridiculous penalty.
Roma disappeared again and Lazio had two chances with Felipe Anderson. In the first, in the 64th minute, his shot was saved by Szczesny but he could have passed the ball to Basta in a much better position. In the second in the 82nd minute, thanks to a Biglia assist, he found himself all alone in front of the Polish keeper who miraculously saved Roma from going two down.
Francesco Totti was thrown in by manager Luciano Spalletti just in time to increase his record of defeats in the derby (he is the player who has lost the most derbies in Roma's history). In the 85th minute Felipe Anderson with a marvellous pass on the left allowed Lulic and Keita to go two against one in open play. Once inside the box the Lazio Legend passed to Keita who had a simple shot with an open goal. 3-1 for the Biancocelesti.
Apotheosis for Lazio. A magnificent game, fantastic Lulic, Keita and Strakosha.
Who played for Roma
Szczęsny, Rüdiger, Manolas, Fazio (64' Perotti), Emerson Palmieri, De Rossi (73' Totti), Strootman, Salah, Nainggolan, El Shaarawy (46' Bruno Peres), Dzeko
Substitutes: Alisson, Lobont, Juan Jesus, Vermaelen, Mario Rui, Paredes, Grenier, Gerson
Allenatore: Spalletti
Who played for Lazio
Strakosha, Bastos, de Vrij (74’ Hoedt), Wallace, Basta, Parolo, Biglia, Lukaku (43’ Felipe Anderson), Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic, Keita (87’ Djordjevic)
Substitutes: Vargic, Adamonis, Patric, Radu, Murgia, Crecco, Luis Alberto, Lombardi
Manager: S. Inzaghi
Referee: Orsato
Goals: 12’ Keita, 45’ De Rossi (pen), 50’ Basta, 85’ Keita
Sources
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