Lazio Battle to a Point in Bruges

Simon Basten

Oct 27, 2023

3 min read

Season 2020-21

Game 2, Group Stage, Champions League

Wednesday, October 28, 2021

Jan Breydelstadion, Bruges

Bruges Lazio 1-1

Correa gives Lazio the lead, but Vanaken's penalty earns Bruges a draw in a night of extraordinary adversity

In Serie A things were not going too well. Lazio were currently tenth on seven points together with Fiorentina and Cagliari. In Champions League however they had had an excellent start beating Borussia Dortmund in their first game. Today was the second

The match

Lazio arrived in Bruges for their second Champions League group match with their squad reduced to the bare minimum.

Simone Inzaghi was without a remarkable number of players, including Ciro Immobile, Luis Alberto, Thomas Strakosha, Luiz Felipe, Lucas Leiva, Manuel Lazzari and Stefan Radu, while Senad Lulic was still a long-term absentee. The Covid-related situation had further complicated matters, with Andreas Pereira only receiving clearance to travel after a further test.

Inzaghi consequently had only twelve outfield players available, with Primavera midfielder Szymon Czyz among the substitutes. The coach responded by adopting a cautious approach, keeping the lines close together and deliberately slowing the tempo. Lazio frequently played the ball back to Pepe Reina, attempting to draw Bruges forward before looking for space behind their defence.

The strategy worked in the opening stages. Joaquin Correa had already tested Simon Mignolet before Lazio took the lead in the 14th minute. Adam Marusic combined with Correa, who cut inside and curled a left-footed shot into the corner to make it 1-0.

Lazio subsequently found opportunities to exploit the space created by Bruges' high defensive line, but the final pass repeatedly let them down. Mohamed Fares, in particular, missed one promising counter-attacking opportunity that could have produced a second goal.

Bruges enjoyed possession without creating many clear chances. Charles De Ketelaere came close after Krépin Diatta's cross, while another dangerous situation resulted from Patric failing to clear a cross cleanly. For the most part, however, Lazio were defending in an organised fashion and appeared capable of reaching half-time ahead.

Then came the turning point.

With the first half almost over, a Bruges corner was headed away by Sergei Milinkovic-Savic, but Patric was adjudged to have held Mats Rits. Referee Anthony Taylor initially allowed play to continue before the VAR intervention sent him to the pitch-side monitor. A penalty was awarded and Hans Vanaken sent Reina the wrong way to make it 1-1.

It was a frustrating end to a first half in which Lazio had largely executed their game plan.

Patric, who had already been booked and was also suffering from illness, was replaced at half-time by Andreas Pereira. Inzaghi immediately reorganised the team, moving Marco Parolo into the right side of the defence and pushing Akpa Akpro into a deeper midfield position.

Bruges began to increase the pressure, particularly down Lazio's left, where Fares was struggling. Inzaghi responded by introducing Vedat Muriqi and changing to a 4-4-2, with Milinkovic-Savic and Akpa Akpro operating centrally, Correa on the left and Pereira on the right.

The Belgian side now dominated the second half, but Reina repeatedly kept Lazio alive. He first denied Emmanuel Dennis and then produced another important save from Mats Rits' header. Eduard Sobol then missed an extraordinary opportunity when he failed to find the target with the goal open.

Lazio were forced increasingly into a defensive role. Felipe Caicedo eventually had to leave the field with a shoulder problem, prompting the unexpected Champions League debut of 19-year-old Szymon Czyz. The young Pole immediately showed energy and personality in a match in which simply surviving had become Lazio's priority.

Yet Lazio still had moments when they could have stolen the victory.

Milinkovic-Savic nearly produced the decisive goal when he controlled a long ball from Francesco Acerbi and advanced towards Mignolet, only for the Bruges goalkeeper to come out quickly and block his effort. Andreas Pereira also had a late opportunity but could not find the finish.

Bruges continued to push until the final whistle, but Lazio held firm.

For Lazio, the 1-1 draw meant remaining at the top of Group F alongside Bruges after two matches. More importantly, it was a performance shaped by circumstances that forced Inzaghi to improvise throughout the evening: only twelve outfield players were available, Pereira arrived in Belgium on matchday, and Czyz was ultimately thrown into the action for his first official appearance for the senior team.

Who played for Bruges

Mignolet, Clinton, Kossonou, Deli, Diatta, Vormer, Rits, Vanaken, Sobol, De Ketelaere (83' Lang), Bonaventure (88' Krmencik)

Substitutes: Horvath, Balanta, Schrijvers, Ricca, Okereke, Badji, Mechele

Manager: Clement.

Who played for Lazio

Reina, Patric (46' Pereira), Hoedt, Acerbi, Marusic, Akpa Akpro, Parolo, Milinkovic-Savic, Fares (54' Muriqi), Correa, Caicedo (68' Czyz)