Game 1, Serie A
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
Sampdoria Lazio 0-3
Lazio outclass Sampdoria with an Immobile brace and a goal by Correa
Lazio had a decent pre-season where they went unbeaten and their wins included: Bournemouth 4-3, Paderborn 4-2, Al Shabab Riyad 5-1 and Celta Vigo 2-1. This evening though things got serious.
The match
There was not a full house at the former Marassi stadium also due it still being the holiday season.
Sampdoria had no injury problems while Lazio only had two reserves unavailable, Jony and Jordan Lukaku.
The first half was practically a Lazio monologue. The Biancocelesti had at least ten shots, five corners and Emil Audero made two superb saves (on Ciro Immobile) before the Romans finally got the breakthrough.
In the 37th minute Luis Alberto took a free kick in midfield. He took it quickly, taking the hosts by surprise, floating the ball behind the defence inside the area on the left where Immobile pounced and with his left foot lobbed the keeper's outstretched arms. It was his 100th goal for Lazio in Serie A. Sampdoria 0 Lazio 1 and more than deserved.
Lazio had been in complete control and the Blucerchiati had only mustered one shot, albeit a dangerous one by Ronaldo Vieira saved by Thomas Strakosha, soon after Lazio's lead.
The second half was no different. Lazio played excellent football and almost scored immediately with Immobile but his chip hit the keeper and went just over the bar.
In the 56th minute however Lazio made it two. Luis Alberto did not score but at least 80% of the merit was his. The Spaniard dispossessed Bartosz Bereszynski in Lazio's half and surged forward alone, his speed could not enable him to go the full distance so he stopped, fended off a defender and brilliantly teed up Joaquin Correa racing down towards goal on the right. "El Tucu" controlled the ball and from just inside the box drilled in a low shot in the opposite corner. A wonderful move by "El Mago" and Sampdoria 0 Lazio 2.
Six minutes later Lazio put Sampdoria out of their misery. A high ball by Manuel Lazzari over the distracted home defence found Immobile in front of goal, he missed the first contact with his left but it bounced up nicely and he then made no mistake with his right foot. Sampdoria 0 Lazio 3
Sampdoria tried to change things by putting on Karol Linetty and Gianluca Caprari for Jakub Jankto and Mehdi Leris while Lazio replaced Lazzari with Adam Marusic.
The game however had nothing more to say, so clear was Lazio's superiority that Sampdoria almost seemed to settle for the 0-3.
All that happened were three more substitutions, one for Samp who took off Manolo Gabbiadini for Federico Bonazzoli and two for Lazio who gave Denis Vavro his debut for Francesco Acerbi and brought on Danilo Cataldi for a superb Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Final score Sampdoria 0 Lazio 3.
A perfect debut for Lazio. The Biancocelesti played well, dominated, won and Immobile got his 100th and 101st Lazio Serie A goals. All their stars had performed, Luis Alberto, Milinkovic-Savic and "King Ciro" which promised well for the season.
For Sampdoria it looked as if it could be a difficult season but fortunately for them, they would not always be playing Lazio.
Who played for Sampdoria
Audero, Bereszynski, Murillo, Colley, Murru, Linetty (66' Jankto), Ekdal, Vieira, Gabbiadini (76' Bonazzoli), Quagliarella, Caprari (66' Leris)
Substitutes: Falcone, Ferrari, Chabot, Augello, Regini, Thorsby, Barreto, Bahlouli, Ramirez
Manager: Di Francesco
Who played for Lazio
Strakosha, Luiz Felipe, Acerbi (70' Vavro), Radu, Lazzari (64' Marusic), Milinkovic-Savic (76' Cataldi), Parolo, Luis Alberto, Lulic, Correa, Immobile
Manager: S. Inzaghi
Referee: Rocchi
Goals: 37' Immobile, 56' Correa, 62' Immobile
Sources
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