Lazio hit sorcerers with open hand

Dag Jenkins
Oct 28, 2023
4 min read

Season 2017-18

Game 9, Serie A

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Stadio Ciro Vigorito, Benevento

Benevento-Lazio 1-5

The Biancocelesti put five past hapless Stregoni

In Serie A the Biancocelesti had played 8 games and won 6 (including Milan 4-1 and Sassuolo 6-1 both at home), drawn 1 (SPAL 0-0 at home on debut) and lost 1 (Napoli 1-4 at home). Lazio's most recent game had been an epic 2-1 away win at Juventus with Thomas Strakosha saving a Dybala 94th minute penalty. The Biancocelesti were currently joint 3rd on 25 points with Juventus. Napoli were top on 28 followed by Inter on 26.

Benevento had lost every single match so far but were still only points six from safety (Crotone, Verona and Genoa on 6 points).

A seemingly easy match for Lazio today but the law of probabilities said that sooner or later the hosts had to get their first points... hopefully not against the Biancocelesti.

The match

A mild day with some sun welcomed Lazio to old Beneventum on the Appia Antica. The Vigorito was not full but there were just under 15,000 spectators present, 2,000 from Rome.

Benevento were without defender Andrea Costa and midfielder Marco D'Alessandro.

Lazio were missing defenders Wallace and Dušan Basta plus attacking midfielder Felipe Anderson.

The Biancocelesti almost immediately tried to make sure to avoid any nasty surprises and took the lead after four minutes. Ciro Immobile provided the assist with a header and Bastos only had to get a foot to it almost on the goal line, 0-1

Lazio insisted and in the 13th minute made it two. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic cleverly set up Immobile who clinically beat Alberto Brignoli, 0-2. This goal also meant Ciro was now leader in the Golden Boot table.

There was no contest at the moment as Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto dominated the show. In the 24th minute the Biancocelesti scored again. Immobile was again the assist man as instead of shooting he teed up Adam Marusic and the Montenegrin had an easy task to score, 0-3.

Milinkovic then almost made it four after jiggling his way into the box and letting off a powerful left footed shot but Brignoli flew to his right and parried out for a corner.

Lazio were cruising and reached halftime with the game already practically won.

Practically because in the first part of the second half Lazio relaxed too much, the hosts attempted a comeback. During the break De Zerbi replaced Ledian Memushaj with Amato Ciciretti and the Giallorossi finally showed some fighting spirit. The former Lazio academy player (2001-04) had a dangerous left footed effort go just wide

In the 55th minute they pulled a goal back. It was Achraf Lazaar who revived the game and the crowd with a low right footed shot under Thomas Strakosha's legs after beating Marco Parolo, 1-3.

There followed a good twenty minutes in which the Sorcerers were on top. In the 58th minute Inzaghi tried to remedy by replacing Milinkovic-Savic with a more defensive Jordan Lukaku.

Soon after the goal Strakosha had to pull off a superb save on the lively Ciciretti and Pietro Iemmello had a header go just wide. The locals now believed and in the 69th minute tried changing forwards bringing on Massimo Coda for Iemmello.

A few minutes later Lazio responded by replacing Senad Lulic with Nani.

The Biancocelesti weathered the storm and in the 74th minute struck again. It was the former Manchester United player who provided the assist for Parolo who hit a crisp, low, right foot from just inside the box, 1-4.

Benevento's heads dropped and they now lacked the strength to react. They did however have a threatening curling freekick by Ciciretti whistle past Strakosha's right post.

Two last substitutions came, one each, in the 79th minute Gaetano Letizia for still Lazio owned Cristiano Lombardi and in the 81st, Felipe Caicedo for Lucas Leiva.

Nani then scored Lazio's fifth in the 86th minute. On an Immobile pass he skilfully dribbled past a defender and sent a low left foot into the back of the net, 1-5.

A convincing win by Lazio despite taking their foot off the accelerator at the beginning of the second 45 minutes. Their level however was clearly superior so when they decided to step up a gear again there was no contest.

Benevento had been too passive and were outclassed in the first half. In the second they showed some grit and passion causing Lazio a few headaches but ultimately lacked the quality to compete with the Roman visitors. Their wait for their first win (or even point) continued.

Lazio were still joint 3rd with Juventus on 28 points while Napoli had 31 and Inter 29. Benevento were obviously still rock bottom but now were 8 points from survival (Sassuolo on 8).

Who played for Benevento

Brignoli, Venuti, Antei, Di Chiara, Lombardi (79' Letizia), Chibsah, Viola, Lazaar, Cataldi, Memushaj (46' Ciciretti), Iemmello (68' Coda)

Substitutes: Belec, Gyamfi, Gravillon, Djimsiti, Del Pinto, Kanoute, Puscas, Parigini, Armenteros

Manager: De Zerbi

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Bastos, de Vrij, Radu, Marusic, Parolo, Leiva (81' Caicedo), Milinkovic-Savic (58' Lukaku), Lulic (71' Nani), Luis Alberto, Immobile