Game 21, Serie A
Sunday January 19, 2025
Stadio Bentegodi
Verona Lazio 0-3
Lazio win comfortably in Verona showing signs of improvement
The team
Without the long term injured Patric, Matias Vecino and Manuel Lazzari plus Loum Tchaouna suspended, Marco Baroni decided to put Samuel Gigot in defence instead of Alessio Romagnoli. On the bench the return of Pedro from injury and first time for new signing Arijon Ibrahimovic who had arrived during the week on loan from Bayern Munich. Elseid Hysaj for the first time this season in the starting eleven in the league.
First half
Dream start for Lazio. In the 2nd minute Mattia Zaccagni took a corner and Gigot headed the ball in.
The Biancocelesti were probably so surprised they let their guard down and in the 4th minute Verona almost equalised. Diego Coppola just over the half way line on the right sent a long ball which Amin Sarr headed for the upcoming Casper Tengstedt who controlled it badly and allowed Ivan Provedel to salvage the situation.
At this point Verona disappeared and Lazio began to play really well creating many difficulties for the hosts who were in total confusion. In the 21st minute Matteo Guendouzi got the ball just outside the Lazio penalty area. He looked up, saw that Boulaye Dia had a freeway in front of him and consequently ball to the Senegalese forward who raced the whole half of the pitch towards the box and beat Lorenzo Montipò.
It could have been three up in the 34th minute when Zaccagni managed to interrupt a Verona attack, ball to Taty Castellanos who shot wide.
The home fans started to boo their side so in the final minutes of the first half Verona became more effective, also due to a mental pause by the Biancocelesti. In the 40th minute Ondrej Duda tried a shot from outside the box on the right but it was wide. Three minutes later the Slovakian crossed into the penalty area and Suat Serdar headed the ball onto the top of the crossbar from a very favourable position.
Second half
In the interval Pawel Dawidowicz was substituted by Dailon Livramento. Verona attacked but with less vehemence compared to the end of the first half and Lazio seemed to be on top. In the 58th minute Jackson Tchatchoua had control of the ball and decided to pass back to the keeper without realizing that Dia was ready to pounce. The pass was weak and Dia flew towards the penalty area. Once in he waited for the arrival of Zaccagni, ball to him, 3-0 for Lazio.
This final goal put a definite damper on Verona's last hopes and they lost heart while Lazio merely controlled. The Biancocelesti could have scored their fourth in the 64th minute but Castellanos’ volley on a Nuno Tavares cross went wide. In the 74th minute Domagoj Bradaric had a chance but it was well saved by Provedel. In the final minutes Duda was sent off for a double yellow card.
Excellent game from Lazio, let’s hope the worst moment has passed.
Who played for Verona
Montipò, Dawidowicz (45' Rocha Livramento), Coppola, Ghilardi, Tchatchoua (73' Faraoni), Serdar, Duda, Bradaric, Suslov (65' Kastanos), Tengstedt (65' Lazovic), Amin Sarr (73' Belahyane)
Substitutes: Berardi, Perilli, Dailiuc, Lambourde, Okou, Dani Silva, Magnani, Mosquera, Ajayi
Manager: Zanetti
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Hysaj, Gigot (66' Romagnoli), Gila, Tavares (73' Pellegrini), Guendouzi, Rovella (84' Castrovilli), Isaksen (66' Pedro), Dia, Zaccagni (66' Dele-Bashru), Castellanos
Substitutes: Mandas, Furlanetto, Noslin, Basic, Ibrahimovic, Marusic
Manager: Baroni
Referee: Fabbri
Goals: 2' Gigot, 21' Dia, 58' Zaccagni
Yellow card: Gigot (L), Dawidowicz (V), Coppola (V), Bradaric (V), Tavares (L), Ghilardi (V), Duda (V)
Red card: Duda (V)
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