Vecino to the rescue
- Simon Basten
- May 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 23
Game 36, Serie A
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Juventus 1-1
A last gasp goal from Vecino allows Lazio to keep the Champions League dream alive
The team
Marco Baroni decided to keep Boulaye Dia on the bench and insert Fisayo Dele-Bashiru on the three forward line in order to guarantee a greater defensive wall around the Juventus midfield. It was a must win game for Lazio. For the last Champions League place the table read: Juventus 63 points, Lazio 63, Roma 63 and Bologna 62.
First half
In front of Carlos Alcaraz in the stands with his friend Patric, and the usual spectacular choreography, Lazio started well and in the 3rd minute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru raced off on the right and once inside the box tried a shot which Michele De Gregorio parried into corner.
The two sides cancelled each other in the first 45 minutes. Lazio made sure not to risk any dangers and Juventus did the same. As a consequence Alcaraz was probably wondering why he decided to waste time watching this game.
Second half
Juventus manager Igor Tudor had had enough of Nico Gonzalez and in the interval put in Francisco Conceiçao, son of the Lazio hero Sergio.
In the 51st minute Juventus went ahead. Timothy Weah to Weston McKennie left alone by a distracted Matteo Guendouzi, the American raced down the left wing and crossed, Alessio Romagnoli was too far forward so Randal Kolo Muani comfortably headed the ball past Christos Mandas.
Baroni immediately sent in Dia and Pedro and took off Dele-Bashiru and Gustav Isaksen. Juve sent Lazio a lifeline when Pierre Kalulu decided to punch Taty Castellanos. VAR intervened and he was sent off.
The Biancocelesti tried to create something dangerous but were not succeeding. Out went Nicolò Rovella and Adam Marusic and in came Matias Vecino and Manuel Lazzari. Finally Lazio threatened with a Mario Gila header off a Pedro corner but De Gregorio parried. Two minutes later a Pedro shot went over the crossbar and another in the 80th minute was too central.
Tudor changed a few players: in came Douglas Luiz and Vasilije Adzic for Alberto Costa and Kolo Muani and a few minutes later Federico Gatti and Dusan Vlahovic for Conceiçao and Adzic, who had not stayed on very long.
In the 87th minute Nicolò Savona lost the ball on a Pedro challenge, Taty Castellanos went for it and was fouled by De Gregorio. The referee indicated a penalty but the decision was overturned by VAR since Taty was offside.
In the 93rd minute Lazzari to Dia who turned around and tried a shot towards the front post but De Gregorio managed to deflect it onto the woodwork.
In the 96th minute, Lazzari crossed from the right, Castellanos headed the ball towards the goal, Di Gregorio managed to parry but Vecino was ready for the tap in. 1-1. Game over.
The Champions League was now further away, Lazio needed to win in Milan against Inter in order to give themselves some hope.
Who played for Lazio
Mandas, Marusic (65’ Lazzari), Gila, Romagnoli, Guendouzi, Rovella (65’ Vecino), Isaksen (53’ Pedro), Dele-Bashiru (53’ Dia), Zaccagni, Castellanos
Substitutes: Provedel, Furlanetto, Gigot, Provstgaard, Belahyane, Noslin, Tchaouna, Ibrahimovic
Manager Baroni
Who played for Juventus
Di Gregorio, Kalulu, Veiga, Savona; Alberto Costa (79' Douglas Luiz), Mckennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Weah, Nico Gonzalez (46' Conceiçao, 86' Gatti), Kolo Muani (76' Adzic, 86' Vlahovic)
Substitutes: A disposizione: Perin, Pinsoglio, Rouhi, Mbangula
Manager: Tudor
Referee: Massa
Goals: 51’ Kolo Muani, 90+6’ Vecino
Booked: Thuram (J), Savona (J), Locatelli (J), Castellanos (L), Pellegrini (L), Guendouzi (L), Vecino (L), Zaccagni (L), Weah (J)
Red Card: Kalulu (J)
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