Early goal is enough

Season 2024-25

Game 35, Serie A

Sunday, May 4, 2025

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Stadio Sergio Castellani, Empoli

Empoli Lazio 0-1

Lazio score after just one minute and freeze the game

Official SS Lazio photo

The team

Marco Baroni again went for Adam Marusic as right winger just like he had done in Genoa but this time, with Manuel Lazzari injured, it was Elseid Hysaj to be right back. Samuel Gigot took the place of Mario Gila in defence.

First half

It took Lazio just sixty seconds to score. Mattia Zaccagni on the left sent in a good ball for Boulaye Dia who stopped it with his chest and then beat the Empoli keeper. Could not task for a better start.

Empoli reacted with a shot from Luca Marianucci in the 14th minute but it was safely saved by Christos Mandas. In the 17th minute it was the turn of Taty Castellanos to try a shot from 30 metres, only slightly too high.

Lazio controlled the game and Empoli made it easier for them when in the 38th minute, for a pointless foul on Gigot, Lorenzo Colombo got his second yellow card and was sent off. In the 43rd minute Matteo Guendouzi crossed in the box, nobody was able to get a touch and Devis Vasquez got there just in time to put it out for a corner.

Second half

In the interval Baroni took off Marusic and sent in Gustav Isaksen, probably to exploit the counter attack. Empoli substituted Saba Goglichidze, previously booked, with Junior Sambia.

Empoli thought they had equalised with Mattia Viti in the 51st minute but he was in offside.

Further substitutions: Matias Vecino for Boulaye Dia and Ismael Konate for Ola Solbakken, then Pedro and Mario Gila for Zaccagni and Luca Pellegrini.

In the 72nd minute Pedro had the chance to make it two but his shot from outside the box went wide. Four minutes later, stupid and senseless foul from Hysaj, second booking and Lazio in ten men. Therefore Baroni substituted Nicolò Rovella with Oliver Provstgaard. But nothing else happened apart from a chance for Isaksen in the final seconds saved by Devis Vasquez.

Good win for Lazio who were now fourth, but they took too many risks.

Who played for Empoli

Vasquez, Goglichidze (46' Sambia), Ismajli, Viti (90' Campaniello), Gyasi, Fazzini, Marianucci, Pezzella, Solbakken (59' Konate), Cacace, Colombo

Substitutes: Silvestri, Seghetti, Brancolini, De Sciglio, Tosto, Bacci, Esposito

Manager: D'Aversa

Who played for Lazio

Mandas, Hysaj, Gigot, Romagnoli, Pellegrini (70’ Gila), Rovella (78’ Provstgaard), Guendouzi, Marusic (46’ Isaksen), Dia (58’ Vecino), Zaccagni (70’ Pedro), Castellanos

Substitutes: Provedel, Furlanetto, Dele-Bashiru, Noslin, Tchaouna, Belahyane, Basic, Ibrahimovic

Manager: Baroni

Referee: Colombo

Goal: 1’ Dia

Bookings: Colombo (E), Goglichidze (E), Pellegrini (L), Hysaj (L), Pezzella (E), Vecino (L), Viti (E), Provstgaard (L)

Red Cards: Colombo (E), Hysaj (L)