Wasted chance but final still possible

Season 2025-26

Coppa Italia, Semi Final, First Leg

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

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Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Atalanta 2-2

Lazio go ahead twice but Atlanta manage to equalise immediately both times

Official SS Lazio photo

The team

Compared to the disastrous match against Torino the previous weekend, Maurizio Sarri was able to put Mario Gila and Daniel Maldini, recovered from their injuries, in the first eleven with Gustav Isaksen preferred on the right wing instead of Matteo Cancellieri and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru at midfield. The stadium was again virtually empty following the fan boycott.

First half

Lazio started the game rather well but failed to capitalise and then Atalanta took over. After a goal disallowed for clear offside, the Bergamaschi had a chance in the 12th minute when Lazar Samardžić took a free kick from the left, crossed inside the box, Mario Pašalić tried a header which shaved the crossbar. The visitors continued to dominate the game, with Lazio in clear difficulty. In the 41st minute Lorenzo Bernasconi crossed again from the left, the ball reached Davide Zappacosta on the right of the goal, his volley hit the ground first and then the crossbar.

Second half

Lazio scored almost immediately. Gila to Dele-Bashiru just over the halfway line. The Nigerian managed to turn around and pass forward to Maldini who passed back as Dele arrived in the box. Chip over the keeper and it was 1-0 for the Biancocelesti.

The advantage did not last long. In the 51st minute Samardžić tried a shot from outside the penalty area, Ivan Provedel parried but the ball landed on the feet of Pašalić who equalised.

The Biancocelesti attacked. In the 56th minute great save from Marco Carnesecchi on a big whack from Kenneth Taylor. Five minutes later an Alessio Romagnoli header from a Mattia Zaccagni cross was only just high.

Marco Palladino then changed a few players. In came Odilon Kossounou, Yunus Musah and later Honest Ahanor and Kamaldeen Sulemana for Giorgio Scalvini, Marten De Roon, Sead Kolasinac and Samardzic. Sarri threw in Cancellieri, Tijani Noslin, Boulaye Dia and Reda Belahyane for Isaksen, Zaccagni, Maldini and Taylor.

In the 87th minute Nuno Tavares crossed from the left, Pašalić fumbled, Dia fully exploited the chance and it was 2-1 for the Biancocelesti.

But it did not last long. Lazio way too close to their goal, Sulemana crossed from the right to Musah who was all alone just inside the box, 2-2.

A wasted opportunity to go to Bergamo for the second leg with a lead, but there is still a chance.

Who played for Lazio

Provedel, Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares, Dele-Bashiru, Cataldi, Taylor (82' Belahyane), Isaksen (64' Cancellieri), Maldini (76' Dia), Zaccagni (76' Noslin).

Substitutes: Motta, Furlanetto, Patric, Provstgaard, Lazzari, Hysaj, Pellegrini, Przyborek, Ratkov, Pedro

Manager: Sarri.

Who played for Atalanta

Carnesecchi, Scalvini (64' Kossounou), Hien, Kolasinac (75' Ahanor), Zappacosta, De Roon (64' Musah), Pasalic, Bernasconi, Samardzic (75' Sulemana), Zalewski; Krstovic (86' Scamacca).

Substitutes: Rossi, Sportiello, Kossounou, Bakker, Bellanova, Djimsiti, Vavassori

Manager: Palladino

Referee: Manganiello

Goals: 46’ Dele-Bashiru, 51’ Pasalic, 87’ Dia, 89’ Musah

Booked: De Roon, Pasalic, Hien