Lazio steamroll opposition
Europa League Group Stage
Group F, Game 1
Thursday, September 8, 2022
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Lazio Feyenoord 4-2
Lazio demolished Feyenoord in the first half, showing a clear superiority, but allowed the Dutch to come back in the second half.
The teams
Everybody thought there were going to be changes in the team so that some of the players could get some rest, but in the end Maurizio Sarri only changed a few players. Arne Slot had the same idea and kept rotation to a minimum. Both managers knew that this first game was vital since it set the course for the rest of the tournament.
No contest
Before they started, there wasa minute's silence for the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Lazio immediately took control and started pushing forward. In the 4th minute Luis Alberto passed the ball to Matias Vecino who then slipped it through the gaping central hole left by the Dutch defence. The Spaniard, all alone in front of the goalkeeper, did not miss. 1-0 for Lazio.
11 minutes later, Lazio made it two. Ciro Immobile on the counter attack made a long pass to Felipe Anderson on the right. Felipetto controlled the ball, moved past a Dutch defender and shot. Justin Bijow did not get down in time and it's 2-0.
Vecino had a chance in the 26th minute but the goalkeeper miraculously saved. He would not be as lucky one minute later. Mattia Zaccagni received the ball from Adam Marusic in the penalty box on the left, his cross was palmed away by Bijow, Vecino was quicker than the Dutch defence and scored his first goal for Lazio.
Another chance for Lazio in the 35th minute when Luis Alberto hit the crossbar directly from a corner. Six minutes later Marusic had a chance after a one-two with Immobile, but his shot was easily read and saved.
Where are Feyenoord? Completely flattened by the Lazio steamroller, the first signs of life from the Dutch arrived in the 43rd minute when a lame shot by Sebastian Szymański was saved without any problems at all by Ivan Provedel.
Different second half
Lazio switched off and Feyenoord started to play. The Dutch were dangerous in the 48th minute when Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s shot was blocked out for a corner by Alessio Romagnoli, and again in the 53rd minute. Luis Alberto lost the ball, Patrik Wålemark was unmarked just outside the penalty box but in a central shooting position with all the time in the world to place the ball. Wide.
Immobile had a chance in the 59th minute but his shot went out. Three minutes later Luis Alberto on the counterattack tried to pass the ball to Immobile. It was just slightly long for Ciro, but perfect for Vecino who did not miss. 4-0.
Feyenoord went for the subs. In came Santiago Gimenez and Javairo Dilrosun, out Danilo Pereira and Matts Wieffer.
There was about half an hour to go, so Lazio, in a friendly spirit, decided it was time to let someone else play too. The referee was also feeling generous. In the 66th minute Marcus Pedersen’s low cross from inside the penalty box on the right was perfect for Gimenez who shot but the ball hit Romagnoli, the Mexican forward got to the rebound and there was a clash with Vecino. Penalty.
Penalty? In slow motion it looked like the Lazio player did not even touch the striker. VAR was surely bound to change that decision. It did not. Gimenez took the penalty and it's 4-1.
Feyenoord started to believe, Lazio were comatose. Sarri tried to liven his team up with some substitutions: five players came in for Lazio between the 69th and 77th minute. Toma Basic, Matteo Cancellieri and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (who reached 300 appearances for Lazio!!!), Patric and Stefan Radu took the places of Luis Alberto, Immobile, Vecino, Romagnoli and Marusic.
Lazio by then were snoring deeply, so the Dutch attacked as if it were still 0-0. Kokcu had an incredible chance in the 80th minute but he shot wide from a favourable position. Eight minutes later Feyenoord pulled another one back. Idrissi, who had substituted Walemark in the 70th minute, entered the penalty box in the far-left corner. His shot hit the underside of the cross-bar, then the post and then back into play, becoming a perfect assist for Gimenez for the tap in.
A Milinkovic-Savic shot in the 90th minute was well saved by Bijow and Cancellieri was not quick enough on the rebound.
A minute later Gila lost the ball in the penalty box. Gimenez got there first and Gila brought him down. The referee pointed to the penalty spot. Penalty? It looked like Gila got to the ball first. This time VAR did its job well and there is no penalty.
One last chance for Feyenoord in the 5th minute of injury time. Igor Paixao’s shot was just wide. The match was over and the ref called it a day.
Lazio basically crushed Feyenoord, but the last half an hour was far from satisfactory. More attention would be needed next time.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Hysaj, Gila, Romagnoli (73’ Patric), Marusic (75’ Radu), Vecino (69’ Milinkovic-Savic), Cataldi, Luis Alberto (69’ Basic), Felipe Anderson, Immobile (69’ Cancellieri), Zaccagni
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Feyenoord
Bijlow, Pedersen, Trauner, Hancko, Hartman, Timber (86' Paixao), Kokcu, Szymanski (46' Jahanbakhsh), Walemark (70' Idrissi), Pereira (64' Gimenez), Dilrosun (64' Wieffer)
Substitutes: Marciano, Wellenreuther, Bjorkan, Rasmussen, Lopez, Benita, Taabouni
Manager: Slot.
Referee: de Burgos (Spain)
Goals: 4’ Luis Alberto, 15’ Felipe Anderson, 28’ Vecino, 63’ Vecino, 69’ Gimenez (pen), 88’ Gimenez
Bookings: Felipe Anderson, Idrissi
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