Another missed opportunity
Game 20, Serie A
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Fiorentina 1-1
Lazio squander the possibility of reaching second place
The teams
Maurizio Sarri confirmed the squad that beat Milan, probably because Fiorentina played in a similar way. Ciro Immobile was back from his injury but was on the bench. The Viola must come out of a negative period and for this match Manager Vincenzo Italiano opted for a 4-3-3 formation and played Nicolas Gonzalez from the start.
The match
Fiorentina immediately took control while Lazio were content with just letting the Viola keep possession. In the beginning it looked as if the tactic worked. In the 8th minute corner kicked by Luis Alberto, the ball was between Nikolas Milenkovic and Nicolò Casale and it was the Lazio defender who reacted quicker sending the ball past Pietro Terracciano. 1-0 for Lazio.
Lazio basically did very little more for the rest of the first half. Fiorentina, despite controlling play for most of the first 45 minutes did even less. A couple of wide shots early on, Anton Barak in the 13th minute and Gonzalez in the 17th, but not much else.
In the 25th minute Luis Alberto stole the ball from Luca Ranieri but once he was in the box he shot high. Luka Jovic had a half chance in the 28th minute but his shot was saved by Ivan Provedel. In the first minute of injury time Adam Marusic to Felipe Anderson on the left of the penalty box, ball in the centre for Pedro, but pressed by two defenders his shot was high.
That was it for a pretty boring first half.
Second half
Fiorentina replaced Christian Kuoamé with Riccardo Saponara during the interval, and the Viola started the second half more determined than ever. In the 46th minute Giacomo Bonaventura had a chance but his shot was weak and Provedel saved. There was nothing he could do though in the 49th minute. Nico Gonzalez collected the ball on the left, he moved towards the centre of the field, passed to Bonaventura who gave him the ball back. He was just outside the box and when he saw a gap he shot. A splendid curving ball that allowed Fiorentina to equalise.
Lazio, as usual when in difficulty, started to lose control of the game from a psychological point of view and got nervous. Marusic intercepted a ball on the right in the 53rd minute and shot, but the ball wasjust wide. Six minutes later there was a confused action in front of the Lazio penalty box with the Biancocelesti unable to clear the ball and the Viola unable to go forward, by chance the ball reached Gonzalez on the right who shot but that time it was too high. A minute later Lazio could have scored. Mattia Zaccagni moved towards the centre of the pitch and passed the ball to Felipe Anderson on the right just inside the box. The Brazilian’s effort was a mix between a return pass to Zaccagni and a shot, and the ball went out.
Between the 63rd and 71st minute Sarri revolutionised the team. In came Marcos Antonio, Mattias Vecino, Ciro Immobile and Manuel Lazzari, out go Danilo Cataldi, Luis Alberto, Pedro and Elseid Hysaj. Felipe Anderson left the centre of the attack and moved to the right wing.
Fiorentina also changed a couple of players. Out went Gonzalez and Bonaventura, in came Jonathan Ikoné and Romìnado Mandragora.
In the 66th minute a great chance for Fiorentina. Dodò crossed from the right, Jovic was in a perfect position but his header was saved by Provedel.
Lazio tried to take control of the game. In the 75th minute Felipe Anderson to Immobile but the King’s shot was wide. In the 83rd minute Sergej Milinkovic-Savic chipped a ball to Immobile on the right inside the box, but Ciro could not get a good impact on the ball.
Last two substitutions for Fiorentina in the 85th minute. In came Julio Igor and Arthur Cabral for Jovic and Ranieri.
Fiorentina had two big chances to score in injury time. In the fourth minute Milinkovic-Savic lost the ball in midfield, Igor went past another Lazio defender and found himself outside the box but central. Ball to Saponara on the left who came into the box, feigned a cross, and shot, Provedel saved into corner. From the corner Barak headed the ball towards the goal, it became an assist for Milenkovic, in the right place at the right time, but his tap in hit the top part of the crossbar.
Fiorentina deserved the draw and played much better than Lazio. They almost won it too. The Biancocelesti were not able to capitalise on the early goal and played rather badly. Not enough quality and not a good game by Zaccagni, Felipe Anderson and Pedro.
The only good news was that Immobile was back, hopefully fitness would come soon.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj (71' Lazzari); Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi (63' Marcos Antonio), Luis Alberto (63' Vecino); Pedro (71' Immobile), Felipe Anderson, Zaccagni
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Fiorentina
Terracciano; Dodò, Milenkovic, Ranieri (85' Igor), Biraghi; Barak, Amrabat, Bonaventura (73' Mandragora); Gonzalez (73' Ikonè), Jovic(85' Cabral), Kouamè (46' Saponara)
Substitutes: Cerofolini, Sirigu, Terzic, Venuti, Martinez Quarta, Duncan, Amatucci
Manager: Italiano.
Referee: Colombo
Goals: 8’ Casale, 49’ Gonzalez
Booked: Kouamè, Zaccagni, Saponara, Amrabat, Immobile
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