Late but deserved

Dag Jenkins
Mar 13, 2024
4 min read

Season 2016-17

Game 28, Serie A

Monday, March 13, 2017

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Torino 3-1

Two late goals by Keita and Anderson give Lazio good win

The Serie A season had started with a 4-3 away win at Atalanta followed by a 0-1 home defeat by Juventus and a 1-1 away draw at Chievo Verona. Since then Lazio had done well: winning 15, drawing 4 (including Torino 2-2) and losing 5 (including derby 0-2). The Biancocelesti came from three consecutive wins and were currently 4th on 53 points (one ahead of Atalanta, two Inter and three Milan). Third place and a Champions League slot was held by Napoli on 57 points.

Torino were currently 9th, on 39 points. Toro had won 10 (including Roma 3-1 at home), drawn 9 (including Lazio 2-2) and lost 8 (including derby 1-3). Their most recent result was a 3-1 home win over Palermo. Belotti was top Serie A scorer with 22 goals.

A game of medium difficulty for Lazio. The Biancocelesti realistically had to win to boost their European hopes.

The match

A Monday night kick-off gathered just under 20,000 at the Olimpico.

Lazio had no important absences while Torino had midfielder Afriyie Acquah unavailable.

Torino's game plan was clear, to stay deep in their own half, slow down the pace and hope for some chances on the break.

Lazio attacked constantly and in the first part of the half Toro struggled but survived. Lazio either messed up the last pass or were unable to finish off the several scrambles in the visitors' area. It did not help that their shots were all off target. One was excellent however as in the 7th minute Ciro Immobile chested down a high ball outside the area and then went for a first-time volley which whistled past the right post.

In the 27th minute Stefan Radu was forced off injured after Juan Manuel Iturbe mistook his back for a treadmill and on came Jordan Lukaku (Romelu's brother). Lucas Biglia also was the target of a bad Iturbe foul and limped for a while but soldiered on.

In the first half Lazio had 10 shots but they were either walled or imprecise. The biggest chance fell to Immobile teed up by a lovely Felipe Anderson back heel but Ciro failed to beat Joe Hart. Torino's only shot was an Adem Ljajic effort that went wide. Halftime: Lazio 0 Torino 0.

Lazio had been dominant but imprecise while the referee had been far too tolerant of Toro's negative tactics including nasty fouls.

For the second half Stefan de Vrij did not re-emerge from the tunnel, he too a victim of some sturdy challenges, and on came Wallace. For Torino, Cristian Molinaro replaced Daniele Baselli.

Torino now played with five at the back but Lazio continued to attack also using Dušan Basta and Lukaku on the flanks.

Early on Lukaku went on one of his devastating runs down the left, powered into the area and squared the ball across but Marco Parolo's poked effort only shaved the post.

In the 56th minute Lazio finally found a breakthrough. Basta crossed low behind the defence and it was only touched lightly by Emiliano Moretti and while Lorenzo De Silvestri hesitated in came Immobile like a vulture on the far post and stabbed it in, 1-0.

In the 64th minute Toro took off Ljajic and brought on Maxi Lopez. In the 72nd minute the Argentine scored, not for the first time against Lazio. Iturbe put in a cutting freekick from the right and "La Gallina de Oro" out jumped Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and headed past Thomas Strakosha, 1-1.

Lazio almost took back the lead immediately but Parolo's close range powerful header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Hart.

A couple of minutes later the Paraguayan Iturbe was taken off and replaced by another former Roma player, Iago Falque. In the 76th minute Lazio added weight up front bringing on forward Keita Balde and taking off midfielder Biglia.

Immobile then hammered a shot towards the far post but Wesley Hoedt was a fraction late to touch it in.

Lazio began to attack head down again but Toro threatened too on the break with a solo effort by Belotti hitting the side netting not far from the post.

It seemed Toro could resist the onslaught but three minutes from time the Biancocelesti scored. In the 87th minute Keita curled a superb right footed shot which gave Hart no chance as it sailed into the corner to his left, 2-1

Lazio were liberated and Torino floored. In the 90th minute Lazio grabbed another goal again with an exquisite finish. This time it was Anderson who charged into the area from the right and sent a low precise strike past Hart, 3-1.

The referee gave three minutes additional time but the contest was over.

A deserved if laboured win for Lazio. They were by far the better and more positive team. They had left it late but two wonderful goals had made up for previous mistakes, wayward shots and lack of precision in the finishing touches.

Lazio were still 4th on 56 points but now were four points clear of Atalanta (1-7 to Inter) and six ahead of Milan (1-2 to Juventus).

Torino were now 10th on 39 points, overtaken by Sampdoria who had won the derby against Genoa 1-0.

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Basta, de Vrij (46' Wallace), Hoedt, Radu (27' Lukaku), Parolo, Biglia (76' Keita), Milinkovic-Savic, Felipe Anderson, Immobile Lulic