Lazio’s match confirms the unlucky week for European refs with Italian clubs
Updated: Oct 21
Europa League Group Stage
Group F, Game 4
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Lazio Sturm Graz 2-2
Not exactly the best week for European refs with Italian clubs. After the very harsh penalty against Milan and the penalty not given to Juventus, the referee makes a number of mistakes in Lazio’s game.
The teams
Maurizio Sarri decidedto make five changes compared to the game against Fiorentina. In came Pedro, Elseid Hysaj, Mario Gila, Danilo Cataldi and Toma Basic and on the bench went Felipe Anderson , Adam Marusic, Alessio Romagnoli, Marcos Antonio and Matias Vecino. Turnover, even if Sarri didnot particularly like the word, was necessary. Difficult game three days before against Fiorentina, difficult match cthe following Sunday against Udinese.
The match
The beginning of the game was a little bit boring. Nothing much happened. Lazio tried to control the match but Sturm Graz were lively. The Austrians attempted a number of shots from outside the box but were never really dangerous and Lazio were unable to find the right key to unlock Sturm Graz’s defence.
One thing to note was the fact that the referee was not on form. There were several professional fouls from the Austrians that were not sanctioned with bookings. It took four fouls on Zaccagni before Sascha Stegemanni took the yellow card out of his pocket. This just made the Lazio players nervous and their opponents dirtier.
The nervousness had its culmination in the 27th minute when following a blatant dive in the box from Otar Kiteishvili, he and Manuel Lazzari had a tête-à-tête. They were both booked.
The first real chance came in the 29th minute. Pedro’s low cross in the box found Ciro Immobile who immediately volleyed the ball towards the goal, Jorg Siebenhandl saved and Basic was anticipated by David Affengruber. A similar opportunity came six minutes later. Hysaj in the box for Immobile who fumbled, ball to Pedro, big whack, crossbar!!!!
In the 41st minute Luis Alberto to Pedro who dribbled a couple of players and jiggled just inside the penalty box on the right. The Spaniard eventually lost the ball but it got to Luis Alberto again who sent it back in the box to Zaccagni. He turned and got away but he was tripped by Affengruber. Penalty. After a long wait the VAR finally gave the ref the OK. Immobile scored.
Ciro now had another Lazio record: most goals for Lazio in a UEFA competition.
Controversy
The game changed again in the third minute of injury time. Lazzari and Alexander Prass went to the ground together on the left goal line in Lazio’s half. As Lazzari was getting up he accidently brushed the Austrian’s face. Prass acted as if he had been hit, the referee fell for it and it was yellow card number two for Manuel and he was off.
A ridiculous decision. There was no way he could have seen that clearly. The consequence of the decision was a player scuffle with Immobile and Jon Stankovic getting booked.
Second half
Marusic came in for Zaccagni and like Lazio did with Bologna, Sarri changed the team to a 4-4-1 formation with Basic and Pedro on the outer limits of midfield. William Boving substituted Emanuel Emegha for the Austrians.
Lazio pulled back to defend the result and the Austrians were more courageous. In the 56th minute Sturm Graz equalised. Cataldi lost the ball in Lazio's half, Prass passed it to Boving who shot from outside the box and scored a great goal. But on the pass to Boving, Gila was fouled. The goal should have been disallowed.
Lazio were in deep trouble and the Austrians suddenly believed that they could win this. Sarri tried to limit the danger by sending in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Vecino and Felipe Anderson for Basic, Luis Alberto and Cataldi in the 58th minute. A minute later Boving tried again from outside the box but Ivan Provedel saved.
Sturm Graz had a lot of shots from outside the box but Provedel saved them all. In the 67th minute Stefan Hierlander crossed low but Albian Ajeti was unable to get to the ball in time.
In the 71st minute Lazio scored again. Pedro ran into the Austrian half on Lazio’s left side, ball to Felipe Anderson in the box, marvellous back heel back to Pedro who shot. Siebenhandl was not perfect and the ball went in. 2-1 for Lazio.
In the 78th minute four substitutions: Matteo Cancellieri for Immobile, Ivan Ljubic for Stankovic, Manprit Sarkaria for Ajeti and Jakob Jantscher for Stefan Heirlander.
Boving tried again three minutes later but his shot was just wide. It wouldn’t be in the 83rd minute. Sarkaria to Boving, great shot, great goal.
Both teams tried to score a winner but there were no more really big chances. A match decided by a very bad day at the office for the referee.
All teams in Group F were on five points. The qualification for the next phase would be decided in the last two games.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Gila, Patric, Hysaj, Luis Alberto (57' Felipe Anderson), Cataldi (57' Vecino), Basic (57' Milinkovic-Savic), Pedro, Immobile (78' Cancellieri), Zaccagni (46' Marusic)
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Sturm Graz
Siebenhadl, Ingolitsch, Affengruber, Wuthrich, Dante, Hierlander (78' Jantscher), Stankovic (79' Ljubic), Prass; Kiteishvili (57' Horvat), Ajeti (79' Sarkaria), Emegha (46' Boving)
Substitutes: Schutzenauer, Giuliani, Borkovic, Oroz, Schnegg, Fuseini, Wels
Manager: Ilzer
Referee: Stegemann (Germany)
Bookings: Ingolitsch, Kiteishvili, Affengruber, Stankovic, Immobile, Prass, Ljubic, Wuthrich
Sent off: Lazzari (double yellow card)
Goals: 45' Immobile (pen), 56' Boving, 71' Pedro, 83' Boving
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