Whoever, even just once, hits the goal is the winner.
– Nervous, angular game, often conditioned by interruptions. So Juric prepared it. Torino is a team that reflects the character of its coach and is very good at breaking up the opponent’s game. Lazio, as well as in the first leg, suffer from this extreme physicality despite being able to build and create a lot. After eight rounds with seven wins and a draw, the streak was interrupted, right at home in front of a gala setting by the Olimpico;
– The pace in the first half is slow. Few flares if not that of Ilic who with a broadside from outside, with some fault of Provedel, breaks the balance. The game is often interrupted and the grenade studs make themselves felt more than they should. Without Immobile and with a compact defensive system, Sarri’s offensive package suffers and fails to make himself too dangerous. Little happens and the grenades lead the first fraction;
– The score definitely changes in the second half and Lazio pushes hard. Zaccagni tries in every way to equalize, Savic, Luis Alberto and Marco Antonio draw football in midfield and circulate the ball very quickly. The grenade defense is compact and leaves little space but, despite this, the opportunities arrive. Goalkeeper Savic often sees balls whistling left and right but doesn’t make important interventions. The biancocelesti try until the end to bring home at least the draw but the ball fails to cross the line;
– Sarri can be said to be happy with the performance and intensity, less with the precision in front of goal. The quality of the game and the brilliance were there, the defense practically never suffered. None of the Lazio players stood out in the 90s but, all in all, they all deserve more than enough. As Zeman said “the result is causal, the performance is not” and in fact this can be said to be the good synthesis of a bitter spring afternoon;
– Juric has definitely made this team his own. It has his character: difficult, angular and surly. He always attentive defense and potentially poisonous counterattacks. Surely he will be happy with the performance and the result, but anyone who doesn’t support one of the two teams won’t be able to say that Torino are playing well. It can certainly be said that he did what he could and should have done, and that is enough for those who, on the other hand, support the grenade.
The article Scattered considerations post Lazio-Turin (0-1) comes from Sportellate.it.