Could have been better, could have been a lot worse
- Simon Basten
- Oct 4
- 3 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
Game 6, Serie A
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Torino 3-3
Lazio run of steam in the second half but manage to draw with a last second penalty
The team
The list of missing players due to injury or suspension was so long, it was easier to count who actually Maurizio Sarri could count on rather than the opposite. Choices were forced and the players available were placed on the pitch in the most logical way possible.
First half
One could immediately see that this was going to be a more difficult game compared to the match in Genoa. Torino were very well organised and knew exactly what to do. Move Lazio to one side and then pass the ball to the other. This worked particularly well on Lazio’s left and the Biancocelesti failed to find a solution for the entire game.
After a Cyril Ngonge shot safely saved by Ivan Provedel in the 6th minute, in the 16th Torino scored. Nikola Vlasic crossed from the left, the ball went across the box to the other side where Marcus Pedersen picked it up and tried a shot, Provedel saved but the ball was placed exactly where Giovanni Simeone was, simple tap in and Torino 1-0. Umpteenth goal from Diego Simeone’s son against Lazio.
In the 24th minute Pedro without looking made a silly pass back to Provedel only that the ball reached Ngonge. Fortunately, Provedel was quick to narrow the angle and saved the close range shot with his foot. Sarri was not happy to put it mildly. But Pedro then regained control of the ball and managed to send a long ball to Matteo Cancellieri who surprised the Torino defence and with a marvellous shot beat Israel.
Kristjan Asllani with a long-range volley in the 35th minute tried to beat Provedel but the Lazio keeper parried into corner. In the 40th minute another long range pass this time by Toma Basic for the sprinting Cancellieri on the right who controlled the ball, passed Valentino Lazaro and in front of Franco Israel made it 2-1. A marvellous one-two from probably the fans' most underrated player.
Second half
Lazio had too many players who did not have the 90 minutes in them and one could see that right from the beginning of the second half. Content with being ahead, the Biancocelesti moved back defensively and were less present in attack. In the 67th minute Gustav Isaksen and Reda Belahyane took the places of Pedro and Basic who had really given all. Torino also made some changes: Niels Nkounkou, Che Adams and Adam Masina for Lazaro, Vlasic and Adrian Tameze.
The new Granata players made an immediate difference. In the 73rd minute Nkounkou past two Lazio defenders on the left and crossed low in the middle, marvellous volley from Adams and 2-2.
In came Ali Dembelé and Gvidas Gineitis for Pedersen and Simeone. In the 81st minute Tijani Noslin took the place of Boulaye Dia.
Lazio were in shock but with five minutes to go they had a burst of energy. Nuno Tavares with a corner, Taty Castellanos headed the ball but Isreal managed to save and no forward was there for the tap in. In the 92nd minute Provedel managed to parry an insidious Adams shot into corner. On the cross Masina headed the ball towards Saul Coco, another header, Provedel half fumbled and the ball went into the net.
Lazio pushed for one last effort. Noslin dispossessed Dembelè close to the by-line on the left-sided limit of the penalty area, got in the box and was fouled by Saul Coco. Blatant penalty that the ref ignored, only to be called by VAR. In the meantime, the players decided to push and shove each other and it took time for everybody to calm down. At that point the penalty was finally awarded. Danilo Cataldi took the responsibility and made no mistake. 3-3, game over.
A tough match, Lazio gave it all they had, not much more could be asked.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Hysaj, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares (90’ Lazzari), Cancellieri, Cataldi, Basic (67’ Belahyane), Perdro (67’ Isaksen), Dia (81’ Noslin), Castellanos
Substitutes: Mandas, Furlanetto, Patric, Provstgaard, Pinelli, Farcomeni
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Torino
Israel, Tameze (70' Masina), Coco, Maripan, Pedersen (78' Dembelè), Asllani, Casadei, Lazaro (63' Nkounkou), Ngonge, Vlasic (70' Adams), Simeone (79' Gineitis)
Substitutes: Paleari, Mihai, Ilkhan, Aboukhlal, Ilic, Biraghi, Zapate, Njie
Manager: Castellanos
Referee: Piccinini
Goals: 16’ Simeone, 24’ Cancellieri, 40’ Cancellieri, 73’ Adams, 90+3’ Coco, 90+13’ Cataldi
Bookings: Asllani (T), Romagnoli (L), Casadei (T), Cataldi (L), Castellanos (L), Maripan (T)
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