Topsy-turvy match

Season 2025-26

Game 34, Serie A

Monday, April 27, 2026

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Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Udinese 3-3

Lazio draw a game they could have won but came very close to losing

Official SS Lazio photo

The team

Maurizio Sarri, after the Coppa Italia semi-final victory on penalties in Bergamo, decided to give a few players a rest and avoid putting further physical strain on Mario Gila, who has been very injury-prone lately. This gave opportunities to Luca Pellegrini and Boulaye Dia, with Tijjani Noslin replacing Mattia Zaccagni on the left wing.

First half

After a first quarter of an hour of equilibrium, Udinese took the lead in the 18th minute. Nicolò Zaniolo, on the right, found Jakub Piotrowski inside the box in front of Edoardo Motta. He tried a shot which Motta managed to parry, but the ball remained in play. Oumar Solet found Hassane Kamara, this time on the left, and his cross was only partially cleared. It fell perfectly to Kingsley Ehizibue, who sent a missile under the crossbar, leaving Motta with very little chance.

As so often this season when Lazio fall behind, the Biancocelesti switched off, and Udinese could have doubled their lead a minute later. Arthur Atta, from the left, tried a shot which fortunately Patric deflected for a corner.

The visitors dominated play, and only towards the end of the first 45 minutes did the home side show any sign of wanting to take greater control of the match.

Second half

At half-time, Sarri replaced Dia and Kenneth Taylor with Pedro and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

With the two new players, Lazio showed signs of awakening, and in the 50th minute they won a corner. Toma Basic took it, but his delivery was too short and the defence cleared. However, at the edge of the box was Luca Pellegrini, who unleashed an incredible volley to beat Maduka Okoye.

Sarri then took off Matteo Cancellieri and brought on Gustav Isaksen. Udinese introduced Lennon Miller for Piotrowski and Adam Buksa for Jurgen Ekkelenkamp.

The Biancocelesti seemed to have found the right key to unlock their difficulties, and in the 71st minute a good ball from Pellegrini gave Noslin a chance, but Okoye managed to save for a corner, which was not awarded by the referee. A minute later, Isaksen moved in from the right, entered the box and shot, but the Udinese goalkeeper managed to turn the ball onto the crossbar with his foot.

Noslin was replaced by Daniel Maldini, while Udinese were dangerous in the 76th minute. Ehizibue crossed into the middle of the box, where Buksa beat the Lazio defence but sent his shot wide. Another Ehizibue assist, this time for Zaniolo, followed, but he was unable to make proper contact with the ball and the opportunity went begging.

With ten minutes remaining, Isaksen, on the right, found Basic just outside the box in a central position. With no clear path to shoot, he passed to Pedro, who produced a magnificent curling shot to make it 2–1 to the Biancocelesti.

Udinese made three substitutions, bringing on Juan David Arizala, Oier Zarraga and Vakoun Bayo for Hassane Kamara, Christian Kabasele and Ehizibue. For Lazio, Nuno Tavares replaced Pellegrini.

In the 84th minute, Dele-Bashiru went on a coast-to-coast run, but with only Okoye to beat, the Nigerian sent the ball wide. It was a costly miss.

Two minutes later, Zaniolo crossed into the box from the right. Bayo jumped higher than Manuel Lazzari and headed towards goal. Motta parried the ball, but Atta was there to equalise.

Udinese launched another counter-attack in the 91st minute, with Zaniolo trying a powerful shot from 25 metres, but Motta saved it for a corner. In the 93rd minute, the former Roma player took the corner from the right. The ball was not cleared properly, and Atta, on the left, managed to place it against the far post and put Udinese ahead.

Lazio threw themselves forward. In the 95th minute, Isaksen tried a cross and Alessio Romagnoli headed towards goal, only to hit the woodwork. Pedro then tried a shot which turned into a perfect assist for Maldini, who managed to score.

Game over. A huge opportunity wasted by the Biancocelesti, who nevertheless showed great character to score in the dying seconds and rescue a point.

Who played for Lazio

Motta, Lazzari, Romagnoli, Provstgaard, Pellegrini (83' Nuno Tavares), Basic, Patric, Taylor (46' Dele-Bashiru), Cancellieri (65' Isaksen), Dia (46' Pedro), Noslin (76' Maldini) Substitutes: Pannozzo, Giacomone, Rovella, Ratkov, Belahyane, Hysaj, Przyborek, Marusic Manager: Sarri

Who played for Udinese

Okoye, Kristensen, Kabasele (82' Zarraga), Solet; Ehizibue, Piotrowski (66' Miller), Atta, Kamara (82' Arizala), Zaniolo, Ekkelenkamp (69' Buksa), Gueye (82' Bayo)

Substitutes: Nunziante, Sava, Padelli, Mlacic, Camara, Vinciati

Manager: Runjaic

Referee: Bonacina

Goals: 18' Ehizibue, 50' Pellegrini, 80' Pedro, 86' Atta, 90+3' Atta, 90+5' Maldini

Booked: Cancellieri (L), Pellegrini (L), Zaraga (U), Patric (L)