2022-23 Season
Game 23
February 19, 2023
Stadio Arechi, Salerno
Salernitana Lazio 0-2
A Ciro Immobile double sweeps away Salernitana
The teams
Maurizio Sarri changes four players compared to those who started the Confederation League game last Thursday. In come Ivan Provedel, Adam Marusic, Luis Alberto and Pedro from the start. Patric is confirmed in defence. Mattia Zaccagni is out due to suspension and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic due to intestinal flu.
Salernitana present their new manager, Paulo Sosa, former Fiorentina, Bordeaux and Flamengo manager, among many, and former Juventus and Inter player.
The match
Lazio start cautiously and Salernitana try to take advantage. In the 7th minute a Krzysztof Piatek shot is comfortably saved by Provedel. In the 14th minute Antonio Candreva flies down the right wing and once near the box attempts a shot. Wide.
In the 19th minute long pass from Marusic to Ciro Immobile. King Ciro back heels the ball forward and tries to beat two defenders. He can’t so in the end once in the box he chooses to shoot from an impossible angle, Luigi Sepe saves.
The Biancocelesti gradually take control of the match and Salernitana disappear. In the 27th minute one-two Luis Alberto-Immobile. The Spaniard is on the edge of the box and passes to Matias Vecino whose shot is deflected by Flavius Danilus into corner. Seven minutes later, Luis Alberto to Pedro just inside the box on the left. His shot is well saved by Sepe.
In the 40th minute Domagoj Bradaric crosses from the left, Provedel misses the ball completely. Candreva recovers it and shoots but the Lazio goalkeeper is quick enough to get back in goal and save.
Lazio are not playing too badly but they are tending to ignore the wings and concentrating on one-twos outside the box which so far have not been effective.
Second half
During the interval Sousa changes Tonny Vilhena with Diego Valencia and later Grigoris Kastanos comes in for Federico Bonazzoli who for most of January was predicted by Italian so called mercato experts to join Lazio.
In the 55th minute there should have been a warning bell for the Portuguese manager. Felipe Anderson with a marvellous play goes off on the right wing. He would have been completely alone for almost half the length of the pitch if Lorenzo Pirola had not fouled him. Six minutes later, Felipe Anderson to Vecino who sends the ball over the Salernitana players on the right wing and Marusic comes thundering along, collects the ball, runs towards the box and crosses low for a comfortable tap in from Ciro Immobile. 1-0 for Lazio thanks to a predictable play. Salernitana by being aggressive left gaps in their armour and the Biancocelesti took full advantage.
In the 66th minute Candreva takes a corner, Pirola heads towards the centre of the box, Dylan Bronn tries a bicycle kick but the shot is too high. Lazio collect the ball and Provedel tries to reach Immobile but it's too far to the right. Pirola lets it bounce and waits for Sepe to come out and claim it but Immobile manages to get to the ball before the goalkeeper who brings him down. Penalty for Lazio and Immobile scores his double.
Sousa changes three players in the 75th minute: out go Pirola, Piatek and Domen Crnigoj, in come Junior Sambia, Erik Botheim and Matteo Lovato. Sarri also makes a couple of substitutions: Toma Basic and Luka Romero for Vecino and Pedro. In the 86th minute Matteo Cancellieri replaces King Ciro.
In the 88th minute Felipe Anderson gives the new entry a splendid ball in the box but before he can do anything he is fouled by Bronn. Penalty for Lazio. Bronn is then sent off for dissent. Luis Alberto takes the spot kick but Sepe parries. The ball goes back to Luis Alberto who has an open goal chance but he shoots wide.
Game over, good three points for Lazio.
Who played for Salernitana
Sepe; Bronn, Daniliuc, Pirola (30' st Sambia); Candreva, Coulibaly, Crnigoj (30' st Lovato), Bradaric; Vilhena (1' st Valencia); Bonazzoli (14' st Kastanos), Piatek (30' st Botheim).
Substitutes: Ochoa, Fiorillo, Bohinen, Gyomber, Iervolino, Nicolussi Caviglia
Manager: Sousa
Who played for Lazio
Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Patric, Hysaj; Vecino (77' Basic), Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Immobile (86' Cancellieri), Pedro (77' Romero).
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Lazzari, Fares, Pellegrini, Gila, Marcos Antonio, Basic, Milinkovic, Romero.
Manager: Maurizio Sarri
Referee: Abisso
Goals: 60' Immobile, 60' Immobile (pen)
Bookings: Vecino, Pirola, Valencia, Bronn, Daniliuc
Sent off: Bronn
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