Game 12, Serie A
Sunday, November 10, 2024
U-Power Stadium
Monza Lazio 0-1
Thanks to a great Zaccagni goal, Lazio join the group of teams only one point off leaders Napoli.
The team
After winning during the week against Porto, Marco Baroni made the usual changes. In came Ivan Provedel, Mario Gila, Nicolò Rovella and Boulaye Dia. Not a massive turnover, but, for example, it would have been very difficult to keep Pedro out of the game.
Today’s opponents were led by former Lazio legend Alessandro Nesta and had a couple of players on the Biancoceleste radar: midfielder Warren Bondo and forward Daniel Maldini, son of the great Paolo.
First half
The home team started well and after only ten minutes had a big chance. Pedro Pereira on the right to Geōrgios Kyriakopoulos, low cross to the middle, in came Maldini with the Lazio defence a bit too static but his shot went out of the stadium. In the 12th minute Dia dispossessed Armando Izzo, entered the box and tried a shot, marvellous save from Stefano Turati into corner.
The two sides seemed to be biding their time waiting for the right opportunity. In the 33rd minute Nuno Tavares from the left, ball to Mattia Zaccagni who turned around and let off a curling shot which hit the woodwork and then Pedro was unable to convert a difficult rebound. In the 36th minute the Spaniard stole the ball off Maldini and passed to Matteo Guendouzi. The French International passed to Zaccagni just outside the penalty area on the left. The Archer again tried a curling shot and this time managed to score. Monza 0 Lazio 1. Marvellous goal.
Monza were forced to reorganise themselves and in the 43rd minute a Dany Mota bicycle kick went too high.
Second half
In the beginning of the second 45 minutes Lazio tried to put the game to bed. In the 52nd minute Zaccagni took a corner, the Monza defence cleared, ball outside the box for Rovella but his powerful volley was too central and Turati parried. A minute later Nuno Tavares from the left crossed into the box, Dia tried to dive for the ball but could not make any contact.
First substitutions: Matteo Pessina for Andrea Carboni, Gustav Isaksen and Taty Castellanos for Pedro and Dia.
Monza increased the pressure and had two chances in quick succession. First an Izzo header on a corner was saved by Provedel in the 71st minute, then Maldini yet again sent the ball over the crossbar on a very inviting low cross from Pedro Pereira.
More substitutions: Gianluca Caprari for Maldini, Luca Pellegrini and Tijani Noslin for Nuno Tavares and Zaccagni.
Castellanos then had two opportunities to double Lazio’s tally. In the 82nd minute Isaksen on the right on the counter attack, ball to Matias Vecino on the edge of the box but central. The Uruguayan saw Taty on the left and passed, the Argentinian reached for the ball, moved centrally and took a shot: Too high. In the 85th minute, Noslin on the left to Guendouzi who saw Taty ready to move in the box, ball to him, control, shot, goalkeeper saved.
In the dying moments Nesta put more pressure on the Lazio defence and threw in Andrea Petagna and Samuele Birindelli in place of Bondo and Pedro Pereira. Baroni replied by taking off Guendouzi and putting in defender Samuel Gigot. The Frenchman committed a foul on Dany Mota on the edge of the box. It was clearly Monza's last opportunity. Caprari took the free kick but it hit the wall. Game over.
A special victory for the Biancocelesti who may have not played exceptionally well but were now just one point behind leaders Napoli, in the company of Inter, Fiorentina and Atalanta, and one point ahead of Juventus.
Who played for Monza
Turati, Izzo, Pablo Marì, Carboni (55' Pessina), Pedro Pereira (88' Birindelli), Bondo (88' Petagna), Bianco, Kyriakopoulos, Mota, Maldini (74' Caprari), Djuric
Substitutes: Pizzignacco, Mazza, Caldirola, Maric, Valoti, Postiglione, Vignato
Manager: Nesta
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares (75' Pellegrini), Guendouzi (90'+2' Gigot), Rovella, Vecino, Pedro (60' Isaksen), Dia (60' Castellanos), Zaccagni (75' Noslin)
Substitutes: Mandas, Furlanetto, Lazzari, Dele-Bashiru, Bordon, Tchaouna
Manager: Baroni
Referee: Colombo
Goal: 36’ Zaccagni
Booked: Carboni (M), Pedro Pereira (M), Bianco (M), Maldini (M), Isaksen (L), Pessina (M)
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