Game 15, Serie A
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Stadio Bentegodi, Verona
Verona Lazio 1-1
Lazio squander another possible victory but this time they were certainly not lucky
The team
Maurizio Sarri had a few players missing through injury (Patric, Alessio Romagnoli and Gustav Isaksen) but for the game against Verona Nicolò Casale and Mattia Zaccagni were back so he promptly put them in the starting eleven.
First half
The first half was rather boring with just a few things to report. Mind you, it was very, very cold and that might have been a decent excuse, at least for the beginning of the game.
Lazio took control of the game almost immediately but were never dangerous, at least until the 23rd minute when a Felipe Anderson-Manuel Lazzari one-two gave the Brazilian the chance to put a low cross inside the box. Zaccagni, completely unmarked, back-heeled the ball and the Biancocelesti took the lead.
In the 29th minute Adam Marusic, accidently hit in the eye by Cyril Ngonge, was forced to leave the pitch, substituted by Elseid Hysaj.
In the second minute of injury time, Luis Alberto took a corner and Mario Gila had the chance to make it two but his header went out.
That was it for the first half. Verona did have a few dynamic minutes after Lazio’s goal but were never dangerous.
Second half
In the interval Darko Lazovic replaced Suat Serdar. Later on in the second half, in came Thomas Henry and Martin Hongla for Duric and Michael Folorunsho.
Nothing changed in the second and Lazio comfortably slowed the game down and controlled. Then suddenly in the 67th and 68th minute two chances for the Biancocelesti. In the first, Zaccagni crossed for Felipe Anderson in the box but his shot ended up being a pass to the goalkeeper. Immediately after a good ball from Hysaj to Ciro Immobile but King Ciro was unable to get a decent shot out of it.
Then, quite out of the blue, Verona equalised. In the 70th minute Ngonge on the far left sent a cross into the box. The ball took on a strange trajectory and caught Ivan Provedel off guard. He managed to parry the ball but gave a chance for the tap in to Tomas Suslov. His shot hit Henry in the stomach and went into the goal. A big stroke of luck.
Sarri sent in Taty Castellanos and Pedro for Immobile and Zaccagni and the Argentinian immediately had a chance in the 74th minute when following an assist from Felipe Anderson his shot was well saved by Lorenzo Montipò. On the corner taken by Luis Alberto, Casale scored but according to the VAR there was a previous foul on Ondrej Duda. Lots of doubts on this decision. Both players were pushing.
In the 79th minute Duda got his second yellow card and had to leave the field. Verona then parked the bus in front of the goal and Lazio were unable to do much. Luca Pellegrini substituted Hysaj and Matias Vecino Matteo Guendouzi to no avail. For Verona Giangiacomo Magnani took Diego Coppola’s place.
The match ended in a draw. The Biancocelesti had been unlucky but they must blame their lack of scoring chances. The team is not creating many opportunities so as a consequence it becomes difficult to go 2-0 up, or to break down 10 men defences.
Certainly not a positive year so far.
Who played for Verona
Montipò, Tchatchoua, Coppola (87' Magnani), Amione, Terracciano, Duda, Serdar (46' Lazovic), Suslov (76' Mboula), Folorunsho (57' Hongla), Ngonge, Djuric (57' Henry).
Substitutes: Berardi, Perilli, Doig, Kallon, Saponara, Cabal, Charlys, Bonazzoli.
Manager: Baroni.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari, Casale, Gila, Marusic (29' Hysaj, 85' Pellegrini), Guendouzi (85' Vecino), Rovella, Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson, Immobile (71' Castellanos), Zaccagni (71' Pedro).
Substitutes: Sepe, Mandas, Kamada, Gonzalez, Basic, Cataldi, Ruggeri, Sana Fernandes.
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Ayroldi
Goals: 23’ Zaccagni, 70’ Henry
Booked: Marusic, Hysaj, Felipe Anderson, Pedro
Sent off: Duda
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