Leiva makes his Lazio debut in positive training match
- Dag Jenkins
- Jul 18, 2023
- 3 min read
Pre Season Friendly
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Stadio Rodolfo Zandegiacomo, Auronzo di Cadore
Lazio Triestina 3-0
The Brazilian's first appearance and a three-zero win make it a satisfactory afternoon for the Biancocelesti
Today was Lazio's third pre season friendly but first against a professional side. The previous two had been a 16-0 win over locals Auronzo and a 9-1 win against Top 11 Radio Club 103 (Cadore Top 11). There would then be further preparation games against SPAL, Bayer Leverkusen, Kufstein and Malaga.
Lazio's objective was to be match fit for their first big appointment of the season, the Supercoppa against Juventus on August 13 in Rome.
Triestina would start their 3rd tier league on September 3 at home to Reggiana. In Coppa Italia however they would start earlier, on July 29, against Arezzo away. They would also play in the Serie C Coppa Italia which would start on August 20.
This was the first step up in opponent quality for Lazio who would then go on to play top tier clubs before the Supercoppa final.
The match
A warm and sunny day in the Dolomites saw about 2,000 fans gather in the small Auronzo ground. The friendship between the two groups of organised fans was reinforced with a series of banners paraded round the field by the Ultras.
Lucas Leiva had just arrived from Liverpool and was on the bench with Marco Parolo and Jordan Lukaku who were still recovering from their injuries.
Lazio started on the front foot and Ciro Immobile was particularly active.
In the 15th minute Stefan de Vrij hit the crossbar with a header from a Luís Alberto free kick.
Triestina were not passive observers and attacked too but their forays were controlled well by the Lazio back line.
Ten minutes before the break Lazio scored. In the 36th minute Alessandro Murgia put in a cutting cross which Bastos headed in, 1-0.
Lazio made it two only four minutes later courtesy of a defensive blunder which Immobile pounced on and beat Samuele Perisan, 2-0.
The half ended with a long range shot by Ndzemdzela Langwa comfortably saved by Ivan Vargić.
In the second half the usual countless changes started with Lazio making four changes immediately and another six on the hour mark. The most interesting replacement was Lucas Leiva who came on for new captain Senad Lulic and placed himself deep in midfield in front of the defence.
Triestina only made one change at the break but made several more as the half went on. They had unfortunately already been forced into one in the first half when forward Davis Mensah went off injured.
Lazio continued to be in control and went close with Murgia and Patric before scoring again in the 74th minute. It was Patric Gabarrón again who skilfully brought down a long ball by Wallace and with a powerful strike beat Pierpaolo Boccanera.
Triestina tried to get a consolation goal in the last minutes but rarely threatened Guido Guerrieri. Final score: Lazio 3 Triestina 0.
A routine win for Lazio against third tier opposition but there had been some good things to take note of; Luís Alberto looked at the top of his game already, Immobile looked keen and sharp and the fans had seen Lucas Leiva in a Lazio jersey for the first time.
Next up were the friendlies against SPAL (in Auronzo), Bayer Leverkusen and Kufstein (both in Austria) and Malaga away and then the big Supercoppa game against Juventus.
Who played for Lazio
Vargic (46' Guerrieri), Bastos (59' Luiz Felipe), de Vrij (46' Hoedt), Radu (46' Wallace), Basta (46' Patric), Murgia (59' Crecco), Luís Alberto (59' Oikonomidis), Lulic (46' Leiva), Marusic (59' Lombardi), Felipe Anderson (59' Palombi), Immobile (59' Djordjevic)
Manager: S. Inzaghi
Who played for Triestina
Perisan (46' Boccanera), Dell'Amico (73' Cesana), Brandmayr, Aquaro, Pizzul, Bracaletti (82' Erman), Meduri (57' Zazzi), Celestri, Nadarevic (49' Ennali), Mensah (35' Luangwa, 86' Crevatin), Franca (65' Colavecchio)
Substitutes: Mori
Manager: Sannino
Referee: Zufferli
Goals: 36' Bastos, 40' Immobile, 74' Patric
Sources
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