Lazio struggle without Immobile
Updated: 6 days ago
Game 10, Serie A
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Lazio Udinese 0-0
A tough game ends goalless as both teams checkmate each other. Injury for Immobile.
The teams
Maurizio Sarri sent in Nicolò Casale for Patric and Danilo Cataldi for Marcos Antonio compared to the eleven that beat Fiorentina the previous week. Udinese manager Andrea Sottil gave Lazar Samardzic a chance and risked Rodrigo Becao back from injury.
A very important game for both teams. Udinese were doing really well and were one of the surprises in Serie A this year. Not only that, in the previous season the Bianconeri had caused the Biancocelesti huge problems and headaches both at home and away . Had Sarri learnt his lesson?
The match
Both teams started the game very cautiously trying not to give away any counter attacks. That means that it was a very slow game, no gaps, no attempts to create any either.
In the 14th minute, the first chance for Udinese. Lazio’s right flank had been left unguarded, Destiny Udogie for Jean-Vicot Makengo, cross to the centre, ball got to Roberto Pereya who passedto Samardzic. The German hit the top of the crossbar with a shot from outside the box.
Lazio woke up and in six minutes had three chances. In the 23rd minute Mattia Zaccagni ran past Pereya and crossedow for Felipe Anderson who was beaten to the ball by Perez. Three minutes later Manuel Lazzari to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who made a clever back-heel pass to Felipe Anderson. The Brazilian moved towards the goal and shot, great save by Marco Silvestri. In the 28th minute Felipe Anderson’s cross in the box was headed almost to perfection by Milinkovic-Savic but the Udinese goalkeeper made an exceptional save.
Immobile out
On this chance for Lazio, Ciro Immobile went KO. Muscular problem for Ciro who had to be substituted. In came Pedro who moved to the right wing with Felipe Anderson centre forward.
Lazio were in shock, without clear ideas what to do with the ball. Felipe Anderson was playing really well on the right, perhaps Pedro should have been placed at centre-forward instead.
The first half practically ended there. Lazio, very careful in defence, probably too scared of Udinese’s counterattack to take any risks.
Second half
The script for the second half was the same as the last 20 minutes of the first. The game was boring, nobody really wanted to take any risks, or at least no more than necessary.
Udinese tried with Udogie in the 53rd minute and with Gerard Delofeu three minutes later but their shots were wide. The same went for Zaccagni in the 60th minute.
The stalemate continued so the managers made some changes. Out went Samardzic, Beto and Becao for Udinese and in came Sandi Lovric, Isaac Success and Enzo Ebosse, for Lazio Luis Alberto came in for Cataldi.
In the 69th minute Casale, in a perfect position from a corner taken by Luis Alberto, was not able to head the ball in the right direction. Three minutes later Delofeu passed to Udogie who saw Pereyra unmarked on the right. Ball to the Argentine who shot but Ivan Provedel made a great save.
In the 85th minute Udinese were dangerous. Pereya headed the ball to Delofeu who moved into the box on the right surrounded by three players. His shot clipped the top of the crossbar.
Two minutes from the end Matteo Cancellieri replaced Felipe Anderson, but Lazio had run out of steam and Udinese did not want to risk anything.
It was tough without Immobile….
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi (66' Luis Alberto), Vecino, Felipe Anderson (88' Cancellieri), Immobile (30' Pedro), Zaccagni
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Patric, Radu, Hysaj, Gila, Kamenovic, Marcos Antonio, Basic, Romero
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Udinese
Silvestri, Beaco (63' Ebosse), Bijol, Perez, Pereyra, Samardzic (63' Lovric), Walace, Makengo (70' Arslan), Udogie (83' Ehizibue), Deulofeu, Beto (63' Success)
Substitutes: Padelli, Piana, Ebosele, Jajalo, Abankwah, Nuytinck, Nestorovski
Manager: Sottil
Referee: Colombo
Bookings: Becao, Perez, Milinkovic-Savic, Lovric, Ehizibue
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