Two goal lead but two away goals

Dag Jenkins
Apr 5, 2024
4 min read

Season 2017-18

Europa League, Quarter Final, First Leg

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Red Bull Salzburg 4-2

Lazio take two goal lead to Austria but it should have been more leaving tie still open

This evening was a European game. In the group phase Lazio had won 4 (Nice home and away, Zulte Waregem at home and Vitesse away), drawn 1 (Vitesse at home) and lost 1 (Zulte Waregem in the last match) and won the group. Lazio then eliminated FCSB Bucharest 5-2 and Dynamo Kiev 4-2, both on aggregate.

This was the first leg of the quarterfinals.

n the Europa League to get this far Salzburg had first eliminated Romanians Viitorul Constanța 7-1 on aggregate, then topped a group made up of Olympique Marseille, Konyaspor and Vitória Guimarães (W3, D3), defeated Real Sociedad 4-3 and then Borussia Dortmund 2-1, both on aggregate. An impressive run so far.

The match

A crowd of about 45,000 turned up for this appetising quarter final clash.

Lazio only had defenders Jordan Lukaku and Adam Marušić unavailable but otherwise fielded their best team. Salzburg were without forward Hwang Hee-Chan.

The game started well for Lazio who took an early lead. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic sent Dušan Basta running down the right and halfway towards the by-line he squared the ball into the middle, Ciro Immobile was too far forward but Senad Lulic behind him was perfectly positioned and slotted the ball in. Lazio 1 Salzburg 0.

The game was balanced but on the half hour the Austrians were awarded a dubious penalty when on a cross from the right Basta lifted his arm on Dabour's shoulder who collapsed clutching his face in the area. Valon Berisha then drilled the ball low to Thomas Strakosha's left, 1-1.

Lazio then had two penalty appeals for fouls on Immobile and Stefan de Vrij but the Romanian referee was not as strict anymore.

Lazio had several chances to take back the lead. One of the biggest fell to Milinkovic-Savic from a Lulic cross but the Serb headed wide from close range. Halftime Lazio 1 Salzburg 1.

Lazio again scored early in the second half. In the 49th minute Luís Alberto crossed low from the right and Marco Parolo brilliantly back-heeled the ball past Alexander Walke. Lazio 2 Salzburg 1.

The Austrians reacted and Strakosha had to dive low to his left to clutch a dangerous Lainer shot.

In the 59th minute Luis Alberto tested Walke from the distance but he was safe.

In the 65th minute Lazio made two substitutions, Patric for Basta and Felipe Anderson for Luís Alberto.

In the 70th minute "Die Mozartstädter" replaced Fredrik Gulbrandsen with Takumi Minamino.

The Japanese only took a minute to get on the scoresheet. In the 71st minute Moanes Dabour tried to dribble his way into the area centrally, the defenders were so busy marking the Israeli that they did not realise Minamino was following and he sprinted in on the loose ball and beat Strakosha from close range. Lazio 2 Salzburg 2 and with away goals things were not looking good.

Lazio needed at least another goal. They got one in the 74th minute when Felipe Anderson got the ball about 35 metres out and decided to go solo, he surged past three defenders and beat Walke with a low strike. A superb goal and 3-2.

Lazio scored again three minutes later. Lucas Leiva won back possession, ran forward and teed up Immobile, whose low shot was not perfect but went under a not impeccable Walke and into the net. Lazio 4 Salzburg 2 and now the score line looked a lot healthier.

The visitors then replaced Duje Ćaleta-Car with Hannes Wolf in the 81st minute.

Lazio almost scored again a few minutes later, Felipe Anderson crossed well but then the keeper slapped away an Immobile header off the goal line near the post.

Lazio then took off Immobile for Felipe Caicedo in the 85th minute.

Caicedo almost scored himself but was very unlucky as, on another Anderson cross, he beat the keeper to the ball but his header then fortuitously and incredibly hit the keeper's head too and the chance went amiss. Final score Lazio 4 Salzburg 2.

Lazio were reasonably pleased with the double goal lead which could have been more however and the two away goals did not allow to be overconfident for the return game.

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Luiz Felipe, de Vrij, Radu, Basta (65' Patric), Parolo, Leiva, Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic, Luís Alberto (65' Felipe Anderson), Immobile (85' Caicedo)