Sunday (18) was a day of tributes for Lazio. In front of the fans at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, there were tributes to former defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, who would have turned 55 this week, and also to Ciro Immobile, who reached his 200 goals in Serie A. However, it was Bologna who came away with the smile opened after the 2-1 comeback, with goals scored by Oussama El Azzouzi and Joshua Zirkzee. Gustav Isaksen scored the hosts’ goal.
With the result, Bologna reached 45 points, remaining in fifth place in Serie A, and also in the classification zone for the Europa League and with the same points as Atalanta, fourth placed and last team within the classification zone for the Champions League. Lazio was badly damaged. Still in eighth place, the team from the Italian capital remained with 37 points, and also lost a great chance to reach the top 5 of the tournament.
Mistakes turn into goals
Even playing away from home, it was Bologna who started with more danger. After receiving a pass, Ferguson tried a strong shot from outside the box, and the ball went close. 3 minutes later, the host team responded. But Immobile’s missed shot was saved by Skorupski. In the 13th minute, Lazio scored a goal with their number 17. However, the referee ruled Immobile offside, after a great play by Brazilian Felipe Anderson.
At 17 minutes, the hosts finally scored a deserved goal. Isaksen took advantage of a defensive error and passed it to Immobile. The center forward returned the pass, leaving the Dane free to take it from the goalkeeper and open the scoring with a shot into the right corner. The scorer of the first goal had everything. In the 30th minute, he almost added the second with a beautiful shot from outside the box, which was saved by Skorupski with his fingertips.
In the 39th minute, the visitors managed to equalize after a mistake with the ball. Goalkeeper Provedel tried to play, but his touch on the fire went to Fabbian. At first, the midfielder played for El Azzouzi, who scored Bologna’s goal. Initially, the referee invalidated the goal, but reversed it after a VAR check.
Shortly after the goal, Lazio immediately sought to get back in front of the scoreboard. The main chance after 1-1 in the first came with Guendouzi. On a rebound after a corner, the Frenchman scored the ball first time, but Lucumí prevented the hosts’ second goal with a header over the line, preventing another partial victory for the hosts before the break.
Top scorer appears at the right time
The draw excited Bologna, who returned to the final stage better, looking for more opportunities and managing to put pressure on a scared Lazio. Needing to change the team’s posture, coach Maurizio Sarri placed strikers Pedro and Castellanos in the places of Isaksen and Immobile.
However, the game became increasingly tight, with neither team managing to create dangerous chances. Thiago Motta made 3 changes at once, bringing on Ndoye, Aebischer and Urbánski, while Sarri then gave opportunities to Kamada and left-back Pellegrini.
And with the changes, the one who did best was Bologna. Zirkzee left the area to score with Kristansen. After receiving a low cross from the full-back, the Dutchman completed the shot, which hit the back of the net at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, in the 39th minute. The setback made Lazio press in every way. But not even with goalkeeper Provedel going into the box, trying to head a corner, did the home team manage to get a point at the Olympic Stadium, to the disappointment of those present in the capital.