Game 20, Serie A
Sunday January 14, 2024
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Lecce 1-0
After an awful first half, the Biancocelesti wake up in the second and take the three points
The team
Maurizio Sarri was forced to place Felipe Anderson as centre forward seeing that Taty Castellanos will be out for injury for a few weeks and Ciro Immobile was recovering from his previous physical problems and at the most had 20 minutes of autonomy. Compared to the Coppa Italia derby, in came Luis Alberto at midfield, Luca Pellegrini and Mario Gila in defence, Gustav Isaksen up front.
The referee was Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi, first female in a Lazio game.
First half
Lazio were just plain awful in the first half. Perhaps too worried of conceding than attacking or more likely not used to having the “falso nueve”. Also, bad day in the office for Isaksen and with Luis Alberto struggling to find rhythm. As a consequence Lazio struggled.
In the 5th minute a Remi Oudin shot was deflected into corner by Patric. In the 12th, Oudin gave a good ball to Nikola Krstovic who entered the box on the far right and tried a shot which was comfortably saved by Ivan Provedel.
A minute later the only chance for Lazio in the first half. Isaksen to Luis Alberto in the box surrounded by Lecce defenders. The Spaniard was back to the goal but managed to backheel to Isaksen whose shot was too central and saved by Falcone.
In the 22nd minute Patric fell, injuring his arm and was forced to leave the field. He was replaced by Alessio Romagnoli.
In the 33rd minute the biggest chance for Lecce. Low cross from the left from Pontus Almquist, Oudin missed the ball which arrived to Mohamed Kaba who tried a shot but the ball was saved into corner by Provedel. On the subsequent corner, Maric Pongracic had a chance but his header went wide.
Towards the end of the first half Mattia Zaccagni got a yellow card hence will not be available for the next game against Napoli.
Second half
Isaksen was substituted by Pedro in the interval and Lazio seemed to gain a little bit of speed. In the 51st minute a shot from outside the box from the Spaniard was only slightly too high. Three minutes later, Luis Alberto passed to Zaccagni just inside the penalty area on the left, the “archer” turned around and shot but the ball went high.
In the 57th minute Lecce substituted Valentin Gendry with Lorenzo Venuti and a minute later Lazio scored. Nicolò Rovella saw Luis Alberto in the box and central, ball to the Spaniard who gave a splendid assist for Felipe Anderson, big whack, Lazio 1 Lecce 0.
In the 65th minute Sarri took off Luis Alberto and Pellegrini and in went Matias Vecino and Manuel Lazzari. Two minutes later Almquist went off on the right, went into the box and crossed, perhaps a little too powerfully, Krstovic tried a header, wide. In the 77th minute Kaba had a chance but he too shot wide.
More substitutions for Lecce: out went Kaba, Joan Gonzalez and later Antonino Gallo and Oudin, in went Alexis Blin, Gabriel Strefezza, Patrick Dorgu and Roberto Piccoli. For Lazio, Immobile came on for Zaccagni.
But nothing much happened apart from a yellow card for Immobile which means that he too will miss the Napoli game.
Five consecutive wins for Lazio, not easy but who cares!!!!
Good performance from the ref. Players tried to be on their best behaviour too so that helped. She managed to limit errors to a minimum and stopped any kind of attempts to start brawls by showing yellow cards.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic, Patric (24' Romagnoli), Gila, Pellegrini (65' Lazzari), Guendouzi, Rovella, Luis Alberto (65' Vecino), Isaksen (46' Pedro), Felipe Anderson, Zaccagni (79' Immobile).
Substitutes: Sepe, Mandas, Casale, Hysaj, Cataldi, Kamada, Basic, Sana Fernandes.
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Lecce
Falcone, Gendrey (56' Venuti), Pongracic, Baschirotto, Gallo (85' Dorgu), Oudin (85' Piccoli), Ramadani, Gonzalez (72' Strefezza), Almqvist, Krstovic, Kaba (72' Blin).
Substitutes: Brancolini, Samooja, Berisha, Listkowski, Smajlovic.
Manager: D`Aversa
Referee: Ferrieri Caputi
Goal: 58’ Felipe Anderson
Booked: Zaccagni (La), Gendrey (Le), Venuti (Le), Guendouzi (La), Ramadani (Le), Vecino (La), Immobile (La), Pongracic (Le)