Late but deserved

Dag Jenkins

Oct 20, 2023

3 min read

Season 2018-19

Game 9, Serie A

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma

Parma-Lazio 0-2

Immobile and Correa break Parma's resistance

In Serie A Lazio were currently joint 4th on 15 points with Milan. The Biancocelesti had 5 wins (including Fiorentina recently 1-0 at home) and 3 defeats (including first two and derby).

Parma were newly promoted. In Serie A they had won 4 (including Inter 1-0 away), drawn 1 (Udinese 2-2 at home on debut) and lost 3 (including Juventus 1-2 at home). The Ducali came from two consecutive wins and were currently joint 8th, on 13 points with Fiorentina and Sassuolo.

A game of medium difficulty for Lazio today. Both sides seemed to be able to win or lose but rarely draw. Anything could happen.

The match:

A sunny but slightly hazy day and a classic 3 pm kick-off gathered just under 20,000 spectators (4,000 from Rome) at the Ennio Tardini (named after the former president who oversaw its construction). It is one of the oldest grounds still in use and was inaugurated in 1924.

Lazio had no real absences.

Parma were missing former Roma forward Gervinho.

Parma's speciality so far this season was a tight, organised defence with sudden and swift counter attacks.

They approached the game with the same plan. Lazio attacked and had the initiative but had problems creating a lot of opportunities.

They had four shots in the first half and only one on target with Patric.

Lazio played at a slow pace and Luis Alberto was not in great physical condition and was unable to put any of his trademark passes through to the forwards.

On the positive side Lazio were in control (68% possession) and only conceded one counterattack to Parma but Roberto Inglese scuffed his shot wide. Half time 0-0. A dull game so far.

The second half continued in the same way. Parma played with a 4-5-1 with Luca Siligardi and Antonio Di Gaudio playing low on the flanks.

Ciro Immobile wasted a chance from close range after a mishit shot by Sergej Milinlovic-Savic became an inviting assist.

Lazio kept control of the game but increased their rhythm which was even more noticeable after the first substitutions.

In the 57th minute Inzaghi pulled off Lucas Leiva after an error strewn performance and an underpar Luis Alberto while he introduced Valon Berisha and Joaquín Correa. The Kosovar allowed Milinkovic-Savic to play further forward and Correa added vivacity to the attack.

Parma responded two minutes later by replacing Roberto Inglese with Fabio Ceravolo.

Lazio were now more lively and Parma were increasingly in difficulty. They made two more changes, Jonathan Biabiany for Di Gaudio in the 67th minute and Amato Ciciretti for Siligardi in the 79th.

Lazio's pressure paid off in the 81st minute when Correa beat Ciciretti on the left and flicked the ball into the centre where the defence cleared badly on Patric and in came Berisha who was tripped up. A clumsy but clear foul. Immobile blasted the spotkick into the top left-hand corner giving Luigi Sepe no chance, 0-1.

Parma had to change their game plan and were unable to put any sustained pressure on the Lazio goal.

In the first minute out of the four of added time Adam Marusic came on for Patric.

In the fourth and last minute Lazio definitely put Parma out of their misery. Milinkovic showed his skills in midfield and passed forward to Immobile on the left, the Neapolitan cleverly waited for Correa to make his run and then slid him the ball behind Bruno Alves in front of goal on the left and "El Tucu" hit it low with his left foot onto the opposite post and in, 0-2.

A deserved win for Lazio. They had controlled the game from start to finish albeit initially with not enough pace. Once they upped the tempo and Inzaghi got the substitutions right they got their reward.

Parma had been too passive and did not have a single shot on target, unable to unleash their usual threats on the break.

Lazio now had 18 points and were solitary 4th.

Parma still had 13 points and were 10th with Torino and Genoa.

Who played for Parma

Sepe, Iacoponi, Bruno Alves, Gagliolo, Gobbi, Rigoni, Stulac, Barillà, Siligardi (79' Ciciretti), Inglese (59' Ceravolo), Di Gaudio (67' Biabiany)

Substitutes: Bagheria, Frattali, Bastoni, Gazzola, Deiola, Scozzarella, Sprocati

Manager: D'Aversa

Who played for Lazio

Strakosha, Luiz Felipe, Acerbi, Radu, Patric (91' Marusic), Parolo, Leiva (57' Berisha), Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic, Luis Alberto (57' Correa), Immobile