Milinkovic-Savic is enough

Season 2016-17

Game 14, Serie A

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Palermo-Lazio 0-1

A goal by the Serb giant and a tactically astute game give Lazio three points in Sicilian capital

Source Lazio Wiki

The season had started with a 4-3 away win at Atalanta followed by a 0-1 home defeat by Juventus and a 1-1 away draw at Chievo Verona. Since then, Lazio had done well: won 6, drawn 3 and lost 1. The Biancocelesti were currently joint 4th with Atalanta on 25 points.

The match

A mild and sunny November afternoon possibly attracted some locals to the nearby Mondello beach as there were less than 10,000 spectators present. It was also a 12.30 kick-off, the so-called "lunch-time" game...

Neither team had any major absences. Lazio played with a special logo on their shirts in favour of Norcia, the town in Umbria recently hit by an earthquake.

Lazio's attacking force advised Roberto De Zerbi to be more cautious than usual and he chose a 3-5-2 formation rather than his usual 4-3-3.

The Biancocelesti attacked immediately but a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic header was too central from a Keita Balde cross. Then Ciro Immobile tried a long range shot which went just wide to Josip Posavec' right.

In the 20th minute Lazio went even closer. On a Marco Parolo cross from the left Immobile, in the heart of the area, hammered a left-footed volley but it came back off the crossbar to Felipe Anderson just inside the box, the Brazilian's first-time shot was too central.

In the 31st minute Lazio scored. A clever ball by Felipe Anderson sent Dušan Basta to the right by-line where he crossed low towards the front post and Milinkovic-Savic anticipated the defenders and side footed into the net. Good move and Palermo 0 Lazio 1.

Palermo reacted but Ilija Nestorovski completely mishit the ball from a favourable position and Thomas Strakosha gathered comfortably.

Then it was Lazio again but Stefan Radu had a powerful left-footed strike parried by the keeper.

Palermo had their biggest chance just before halftime. Nestorovski attacked the front post on a low cross from the right, he anticipated the defenders and flicked the ball towards the far post but it went just wide. At the break Palermo 0 Lazio 1.

Apart from the late scare, a well-deserved lead for Lazio so far.

For the second half the Pink Eagles replaced a poor Alessandro Diamanti with Swedish Robin Quaison.

Palermo started with more conviction and Norwegian Aleesami had a shot from outside the box go a couple of metres wide.

It was Lazio however, who continued to have the better chances. Parolo drilled a low right foot from just inside the area but Josip Posavec saved and chances followed for Immobile, Anderson and Keita but they were imprecise.

Ivaylo Chochev had a half chance with a header on a mishit volley by Haitam Aleesami but he could not coordinate himself in time and it went well high.

Lazio controlled and threatened on the counterattack. In the 87th minute Cristiano Lombardi, who had replaced Keita in the 81st minute, burst past Gonzalez to have a one-on-one with the keeper, so he had no other option than to pull him down and was given his marching orders.

Against ten men Lazio suffered more than they had all match, but this was due to Palermo's last desperate attempts with hopeful balls thrown into the Lazio area. Apart from a few scrambles however, Lazio ran no real risks. Palermo 0 Lazio 1.

A clinical win by Lazio against a team in clear difficulty. Palermo were whistled off by their own fans and another change of manager seemed more than likely.

Lazio were still joint 4th as all the top 5 had won apart from leaders Juventus who had surprisingly lost 1-3 away at Genoa.

Palermo were now joint bottom with Crotone but still 4 points from safety.

Who played for Palermo

Posavec, Goldaniga (80' Lo Faso), Gonzalez, Andjelkovic, Morganella, Bruno Henrique (55' Buoy), Jajalo, Chocev, Aleesami, Diamanti (46' Quaison), Nestorovski

Substitutes: Fulignati, Guddo, Hiljemark, Rispoli, Gazzi, Sallai, Vitiello, Cionek, Pezzella

Manager: De Zerbi

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Basta, Wallace, Radu, Lulic (65' Lukaku), Parolo, Biglia, Milinkovic-Savic, F. Anderson (68' Djordjevic), Immobile, Keita (81' Lombardi)

Substitutes: Vargic, Borrelli, Bastos, Cataldi, Hoedt, Leitner, Murgia, Vinicius, Patric

Manager: S. Inzaghi

Referee: Guida

Goal: 31' Milinkovic-Savic

Red Card: 87' Gonzalez (P)

Sources

Lazio Wiki