Lazio vs Lecce: Post Match Review
After a disappointing result in the UEFA Europa League against Celtic midweek, Lazio recovered by recording their fourth straight win in Serie A by defeating Lecce 4-2.
Lazio vs Lecce: First Half
The game started with a bang, both teams working multiple half-chances in the opening five minutes. However, none were good enough to beat either Thomas Strakosha or Gabriel. Khouma Babacar nearly opened the scoring for the visitors, the Senegalese striker managed to squeeze past three Lazio defenders before getting his shot off on goal. Strakosha managed to get himself down quick enough, eventually stopping the shot under his body, on another day it could have easily squeezed through. In the 30th minute, Luis Alberto showed his exquisite vision by sliding the ball down the outside of Lecce’s defense playing in Joaquin Correa. The Argentinian showed his composure by slotting the ball into the corner of the net. 1-0.
Some good work down the left from Senad Lulic, who managed to pull the ball back after advancing down the left to Ciro Immobile on the penalty spot. His shot was parried and then gathered by Gabriel. In the 40th minute, Gianluca Lapadula was on hand to stab home a Lecce corner. The Italian picked up a flick on at the near post from Luca Rossettini and steered the ball past Strakosha, who could only get his studs to the ball. 1-1.
Luis Alberto really should have put Lazio in front just before the break. His shot skied over the bar – if he hit the target it would have been a certain goal.
Lazio vs Lecce: Second Half
Strakosha pulled off an excellent save in the 51st minute denying Babacar from scoring with a header that looked destined for the net. The Albanian managed to stop the ball from squeezing under the bar with a show of his agility and reflexes. Francesco Acerbi then provided a rare assist for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the 62nd minute, playing an early cross into the Lecce box. The Serbian showed quality movement to get in front of his marker, stabbing the ball home. 2-1.
The goalscorer then went from hero to zero after giving away a very soft penalty as he was deemed to foul Marco Mancosu. Babacar stepped up to take the penalty which Strakosha denied, the rebound fell to Lapadula who slotted the ball home, only for the goal to be disallowed by VAR due to his early entrance of the box. Justice served?! Milinkovic-Savic then earned Lazio a penalty in the 76th minute – his hard work and determination enabled him to get his foot onto a ball that looked likely to go dead, hitting the hand of Marco Calderoni. The outcome a spot-kick which Ciro Immobile dispatched. 3-1.
Correa scored his brace on the 80th minute. Ciro Immobile slid him in down the left-hand side and the goal was scored in sublime fashion, beating Gabriel at his near post with a finish of real quality. 4-1.
The final goal of the game was scored by Lecce, a deep cross played in by Jacopo Petriccione to the back post where Andrea La Mantia out jumped the Lazio defence to grab a late consolation. 4-2.
Lazio vs Lecce: Man of the Match
Joaquin Correa is my ‘Man of the Match’. The Argentine is high on confidence and is now converting the chances which evaded him in the earlier game weeks of Serie A. Correa has now scored in four of the last five games in Serie A; his contribution in the goal-scoring department is helping to ease the burden from Ciro Immobile, and his preference of playing off the shoulder of defenders is something that Luis Alberto can look to exploit more often.
This article initially appeared on Golazzo Calcio, Matty Lewis’ blog
