Game 2, Serie A
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Previous Match
Bluenergy Stadium, Udine
Udinese Lazio 2-1
Lazio have two decisive defensive blackouts which help Udinese win
The team
Marco Baroni made just one change compared to the game against Venezia: Matias Vecino in place of Nicolò Rovella. Luca Pellegrini was not on the bench due to a car accident he was involved in earlier in the week in which he did not suffer any injuries but his car turned over and left him a bit rattled.
First half
Just like the previous game, Lazio conceded an early goal. In the 5th minute Kingsley Ehizibue passed to Martin Payero. The linesman waved his flag for offside but the referee quite rightly did not stop the game. Payero passed to Florian Thauvin, splendid right footed cross into the middle of the box, the Biancocelesti players were still waiting for a whistle from the ref, Lorenzo Lucca headed the ball in. VAR was called in, Payero was not offside and the goal was good.
The linesman raising his flag distracted the Lazio players but this cannot be an excuse.
The Biancocelesti took time to regather strength and intent and seemed to be overwhelmed by the physicality of the Bianconeri. In the meantime they started to collect corner kicks.
In the 30th minute Thauvin on the counterattack, Alessio Romagnoli waited far too long to intervene allowing the Frenchman a shot at goal from quite close, Ivan Provedel saved.
Lazio only came close to equalising in injury time. On corner number seven, Mattia Zaccagni crossed, Romagnoli headed the ball past Maduka Okoye but Ehizibue saved on the line before Taty Castellanos could tap it in.
Biancocelesti in difficulty for most of the first half. Too slow to create any danger with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Tijani Noslin a bit out of the game.
Second half
During the interval Baroni substituted Nicolò Casale with Patric. Casale had had problems all week and was clearly in difficulty.
Since Lazio conceded a goal early in the first half to Udinese, why not do so again in the second? In the 49th minute Thauvin raced away on the counterattack, Matteo Guendouzi tried to grab him but missed, Romagnoli did not foul him when he could, Patric was more worried that he would pass to Lucca on the right so he did not move, Provedel stayed put, and the Frenchman made it two.
Serious collective defensive error by the entire team.
Lazio in great difficulty and Udinese tried to make it three in the 57th minute but Brenner’s shot was saved by Provedel.
In the 63rd minute free kick for Lazio. Zaccagni sent a long ball into the box, Castellanos headed it to Vecino who controlled it, turned around and shot, good save into corner from the keeper.
At this point, Baroni made some drastic changes. Out went Dele-Bashiru and Noslin, in came Boulaye Dia for his debut and Gustav Isaksen. The assault on fort Udine began.
The Biancocelesti started to pile cross after cross into the box and put a lot of pressure on the hosts defence. Kosta Runjaic, the Udinese manager, in the 67th minute threw in Sandi Lovric and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp for Payero and Brenner to reinforce the defensive wall. One minute later Hassane Kamara was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Isaksen and sent to take an early shower.
Lazio continued to cross balls particularly from the right and in the 70th minute Manuel Lazzari found Castellanos who managed to anticipate Jesper Karlstrom but his header went wide. Two more substitutions for the Bianconeri in the 75th minute: out went Thauvin and Lautaro Giannetti, in came Oier Zarraga and Christian Kabasele.
In the 77th minute another Lazzari cross from the right, Dia got a foot to it, ball to Zaccagni who turned around and shot but it was too weak to be dangerous and Okoye saved.
In the 82nd minute three more substitutions: Elseid Hysaj and Loum Tchaouna for Adam Marusic and Zaccagni for Lazio, Keinan Davis for Lucca for Udinese.
In the 90th minute another cross from Lazzari, Vecino headed the ball onto the top of the crossbar.
In the fifth minute of injury time, Guendouzi crossed into the box from the right, Jaka Bijol tried to clear but the ball stayed in the penalty area and from the left Castellanos tried a shot that Okoye saved but allowed a simple tap-in for Isaksen.
Not enough time left. First defeat of the season.
What went wrong
The physical power of the Lazio midfield shown in the previous game vanished and the Biancocelesti were too slow in the first half with Noslin taking too long to get into the game. Better in the second, but in these cases with the bus parked in front of the goal, one needs more quality in midfield to get the ball around quickly to create something.
Also defensively the Biancocelesti were unable to dispossess Udinese like they had done so well against Venezia.
Any positives?
There are a few positives however. Lazzari and Castellanos seemed in good form, with the Argentinian knowing exactly what he had to do. Even Isaksen was not too bad, though some may disagree.
Social media reactions
Just to sum up social media reactions: we have to sack the manager and get Maurizio Sarri back; Casale, Marusic, Isaksen, Guendouzi and Noslin have to be hung, drawn and quartered; shame we let Matteo Cancellieri go (because he scored for Parma against Milan, despite complaining when he was around); need to buy a new midfield; need a different style of play; need a new defence; need to buy 8 players this week at least, sell most of the new ones and all of the old guard.
And this is just game 2!!!!!
Who played for Udinese
Okoye, Perez, Bijol, Giannetti (75' Kabasele), Ehizibue, Payero (66' Lovric), Karlstrom, Kamara, Thauvin (75' Zarraga), Brenner (66' Ekkelenkamp), Lucca (83' Davis)
Substitutes: Silvestri, Padelli, Ebosele, Abankwah, Kristensen, Zemura, Bravo
Manager: Runjaic
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Casale (46' Patric), Romagnoli, Marusic (82' Hysaj), Guendouzi, Vecino, Dele-Bashiru (60' Dia), Noslin (60' Isaksen), Castellanos, Zaccagni (82' Tchaouna)
Substitutes: Mandas, Furlanetto, Nuno Tavares, Cataldi, Rovella, Castrovilli, Pedro
Manager: Baroni
Referee: Doveri
Goals: 5' Lucca, 49' Thauvin, 90'+5' Isaksen
Booked: Giannetti (U), Kamara (U), Payero (U), Romagnoli (L)
Red card: Kamara (U)
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