October 13, 2022: Lazio - Sturm Graz 2-2, Europa League
Bøving prevents excitement in Europe
Lazio go in front twice but in ten men are held to a draw by two goals by the Dane
The season so far
Lazio had finished 5th the previous season, in Maurizio Sarri's first year in charge, qualifying for the Europa League. The top scorer was as usual Ciro Immobile with 32 goals (27 in A). The highlights were beating Roma 3-2, Inter 3-1 at home and Fiorentina 3-0 away.
In the Europa League Lazio had exited in the playoffs for the last 16, losing to Porto 2-3 on aggregate.
This season Sarri stayed on and there was optimism that the team would by now have assimilated his style of play and be able to achieve better results.
The main new players were: keepers Luís Maximiliano (Granada) and Ivan Provedel, defenders Nicolò Casale (Verona), Mario Gila (Real Madrid Castilla) and Alessio Romagnoli (Milan-free agent), midfielders Marcos Antonio (Shakhtar Donetsk), Matías Vecino (free agent) plus forward Matteo Cancellieri (Verona - on loan with clause to buy).
Leaving were: keepers Thomas Strakosha (Brentford), Pepe Reina (by mutual agreement), defender Francesco Acerbi (Inter - on loan with clause to buy), Luiz Felipe (end of contract), midfielders Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (Empoli - on loan) and with great sadness Lucas Leiva (Gremio - end of contract).
Serie A had started on August 14 and Lazio had so far played 9 games. The Biancocelesti had won 6 (including Inter 3-1 at home, Fiorentina 4-0 away), drawn 2 (Torino 0-0 and Sampdoria 1-1 away) and lost 1 (Napoli 1-2 at home). Lazio were currently joint 3rd with Milan and Udinese, three points off leaders Napoli.
In today's competition, the Europa League, things were not going as well. Lazio had started positively defeating Feyenoord 4-2 at home but then collapsed 1-5 away to Midtjylland and drawn 0-0 away against today's opponents Sturm Graz. Lazio needed a win today.
Sturm Graz from Austria had finished 2nd in their league the previous season (behind Salzburg). The manager was Christian Ilzer and top scorers were Jacob Jantscher with 14 league goals and Manprit Sarkaria with 13.
This season Ilzer was still in charge. The main new signings were: defender David Schnegg (Venezia), midfielder Tomi Horat (Mura) and forwards Emanuel Emegha (Antwerp), William Bøving (FC Copenhagen) and Albian Ajeti (Celtic).
Leaving Graz were: midfielders Andreas Kuen (Atromītos), Lukas Jäger (Altach) and Philipp Huspek (Wallern) plus forwards Anderson Niangbo (Gent-end of loan) and Rasmus Højlund (Atalanta and later Man Utd and Napoli).
They had played a Champions League 3rd round preliminary but lost 1-3 on aggregate to Dinamo Kyiv and so were relegated to the Europa League.
So far in the Europa League Sturm Graz had won 1 (Midtjylland 1-0 at home on debut), drawn 1 (Lazio 0-0 at home) and lost 1 (Feyenoord 0-6 away). They were therefore on 4 points with Lazio.
In their history "die Schwoazn" had won 3 league titles (1998, 1999 and 2011), 5 Austrian Cups (1996, 1997, 1999, 2010 and 2018) and 3 Super Cups (1996, 1998 and 1999).
An important game tonight. All four teams in the group were on 4 points. A win could be a big step towards qualification.
The match: Thursday, October 13, 2022, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
An inconvenient 6.45 kick off brought about 20,000 fans to the Olimpico.
The fact that Lazio had three games in six days meant Sarri resorted to a turnover. Three days earlier they had played a tough away match against Fiorentina (albeit winning 4-0) and they would play Udinese on Saturday October 16.
The Tuscan coach therefore initially rested defenders Alessio Romagnoli, Adam Marusic and Nicolò Casale plus midfielders Sergej-Milinkovic Savic, Matias Vecino and Felipe Anderson.
Sturm Graz were missing defender Jusuf Gazibegović.
The beginning of the match was a little dull with not much happening. Lazio tried to control the game but Sturm Graz were lively. The visitors had a few long range attempts but never really threatened.
One thing to note was that the referee did not appear on top form. He missed or ignored several professional fouls by the Austrians that probably deserved bookings. It took four fouls on Mattia Zaccagni before Sascha Stegemann finally got the yellow card out of his pocket. This approach irritated the Lazio players but gave their opponents the green light to play even dirtier.
The tension reached their peak in the 27th minute when following a blatant Otar Kiteishvili dive in the box, the Georgian and Manuel Lazzari came to loggerheads. They were both booked.
The first real chance came in the 29th minute. Pedro's low cross into the box found Ciro Immobile who volleyed first time but Jörg Siebenhandl saved well and then on the rebound Toma Bašić was anticipated by David Affengruber.
Another big opportunity came six minutes later when Elsid Hysaj crossed and Immobile flubbed but the ball then reached Pedro who had a powerful effort come back off the crossbar.
In the 41st minute Luis Alberto fed Pedro who weaved his way past two defenders and into the box where he lost the ball but it reached Luis Alberto again who crossed for Zaccagni, he turned and got away from Affengruber who tripped him up. Following a long wait the VAR finally confirmed the penalty which Immobile put away, 1-0.
With this goal Ciro had set another Lazio record: most goals for Lazio in UEFA competitions.
The game changed drastically in the third minute of added time. Lazzari and Alexander Prass both fell to the ground on Lazio's left byline. As Lazzari was getting up he accidentally brushed against the Austrian's face. The former Liefering player acted as if he had been knocked down and the referee fell for his theatrics and showed the Italian a second yellow so he was off.
A ludicrous decision. A scuffle between Immobile and Jonny Stankovic ensued and they were both booked too. Halftime 1-0 but tempers ran high.
In the second half Adam Marusic replaced Zaccagni and, as against Bologna when down to ten men, Sarri switched to 4-4-1 setup with Pedro and Basic wide in midfield. For Sturm Graz, William Bøving came on for Emanuel Emegha.
Lazio logically defended deep to protect their slender lead and the Austrians became bolder.
In the 56th minute the Blackies equalised. Danilo Cataldi lost the ball in his own half, Prass teed up Bøving who let off a brilliant shot from outside the box which beat Ivan Provedel for the 1-1. A superb finish but there had been a clear foul on Mario Gila in the build up. The goal should have been disallowed.
Lazio were in deep trouble and the Austrians grew in confidence and belief. In the 58th minute Sarri tried to tamper the increasingly problematic situation by sending on Sergej-Milinkovic Savic, Matías Vecino and Felipe Anderson for Basic, Luis Alberto and Cataldi. For Graz, Tomi Horvat came on for Otar Kiteishvili.
A minute later Bøving tried his luck again from outside the box but Provedel was safe. The Austrians insisted on the long distance tactic and had several shots but none of them really worried the Lazio keeper.
In the 67th minute the guests varied their attack and Stefan Hierlander crossed low into the box but Albian Ajeti was slightly late for the connection.
In the 71st minute Lazio scored. Pedro burst into the left side of the Austrian half and teed up Anderson in the area, the Brazilian wonderfully back-heeled to Pedro who shot, the keeper Siebendhandl was not impeccable and the ball found its way in, 2-1.
In the 78th minute there were four substitutions, one for Lazio: Matteo Cancellieri for Immobile and three for Sturm Graz : Ivan Ljubic, Manprit Sarkaria and Jacob Jantscher for Jon Gorenc Stankovic, Ajeti and Heirlander.
Bøving continued to shoot at goal, he was just off target in the 81st minute but was successful in the 83rd. Sarkaria fed the Dane who let off a great shot for the equaliser, 2-2.
Both sides continued to look for a winner but neither had any more really big chances. Final score Lazio 2 Sturm Graz 2.
A game basically ruined by the referee who had fallen for a blatant and theatrical simulation.
There was the sensation Lazio would have won in 11 against 11 but a draw was a fair result in the end.
With two games to go, group F was still very much open. All four teams were on 5 points (Feyenoord and Midtjylland had finished 2-2) but goal difference was not looking good for the Italians or the Austrians.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Gila, Patric, Hysaj, Cataldi (57' Vecino), Basic (57' Milinkovic-Savic), Luis Alberto (57' Felipe Anderson), Pedro, Immobile (78' Cancellieri), Zaccagni (46' Marusic)
Manager: Sarri
Who played for Sturm Graz
Siebenhandl, Ingolitsch, Affengruber, Wüthrich, Dante, Hierländer (78' Jantscher), Stankovic (79' Ljubic), Prass, Kiteishvili (57' Horvat), Ajeti (79' Sarkaria), Emegha (46' Bøving)
Substitutes: Schutzenauer, Giuliani, Borkovic, Oroz, Schnegg, Fuseini, Wels
Manager: Ilzer
Referee: Stegemann (Germany)
Goals: 45' Immobile (pen), 56' Bøving, 71' Pedro, 83' Bøving
Red Card: 45+3 Lazzari
What happened next
Lazio then beat Midtjylland 2-1 at home but, despite going into the last game top of the group, they threw it all by losing 0-1 away to Feyenoord and finished 3rd. It was all decided on goal difference. The final table read: Feyenoord 8 (+4), Midtjylland 8 (+4), Lazio 8 (-2), Sturm Graz 8 (-6).
Midtjylland beat Sturm Graz and finished 2nd. This meant demotion to the Conference League for Lazio where they beat CFR Cluj 1-0 on aggregate but then lost to AZ Alkmaar 2-4 on aggregate in the last 16. Not a European campaign to remember.
Fortunately things went a lot better in Serie A. Lazio finished 2nd behind champions Napoli. From today onwards Lazio won 14 (including both derbies 1-0, Milan 4-0 and Juventus 2-1 at home and Napoli 1-0 away), drew 6 and lost 7. The top scorer was Immobile with 14 goals (12 in A).
In Coppa Italia Lazio beat Bologna 1-0 at home but went out in the quarter finals losing 0-1 away to Juventus.
Sturm Graz then beat Feyenoord 1-0 at home but lost 0-2 away to Midtjylland and were eliminated, like Lazio on goal difference.
Sturm Graz finished 2nd again in the Austrian Bundesliga but won the ÖFB Austrian Cup (Rapid Vienna 2-0). The top scorer was Sarkaria with 15 total goals while only in the Austrian league it was Emegha with 7.
Since 2022-23 Sturm Graz have won two more league titles (2024, 2025) and another Austrian Cup (2024).
The 2022-23 Europa League was eventually won by Serial winners Seville who beat Roma on penalties in Budapest after a 1-1 draw.
Let's talk about Federico Magro
Federico Magro was born in Rome, on January 10 2005.
He is a goalkeeper who started at Urbetevere and then came through the Lazio academy.
In 2020-21 he was with the Under 17s but was on the bench for the U19s in their second playout game.
In 2021-22 he played with the U18s.
In 2022-23 he became the Primavera keeper. He also went on the bench in a Serie A game (Torino-Lazio on August 20, 2022) and Europa League game (Lazio -Sturm Graz on October 13, 2022).
In 2023-24 he was confirmed as the U19s regular keeper.
In the summer 2024 he was sold to Verona. He was 3rd keeper behind Lorenzo Motipò and Alessando Berardi. Verona finished 14th under Paolo Zanetti.
In 2025-26 he was loaned to Foggia in Serie C. It was a difficult season for the Rossoneri with five different managers (including Delio Rossi) and they were originally relegated but then survived due to other clubs' financial problems. He only played one game in the Serie C Coppa Italia.
For the 2026-27 season he went back to Hellas Verona but was then loaned out to Casertana in Serie C. The manager is Vinicio Espinal from the Dominican Republic. Hopefully Magro will get more playing time but he has an experienced 30-year old keeper Victor De Lucia ahead of him in the pecking order.
Magro is only 21 so still has many years to prove his worth as a goalkeeper.
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