It was a slow start for Lazio, who conceded a goal within the first ten minutes of the match, as Sassuolo came out strong and attacked the Biancocelesti with plenty of confidence. The Neroverdi capitalized on a poor giveaway from Lazio and Francesco Caputo scored to give his side an early lead.
As the match progressed so did Lazio as they showed a great response with an inspiring attitude and the will to fight back. Just before the half-hour mark, Sergej Milikovic-Savic scored off a corner kick which was delivered accurately from Joaquin Correa.
With under 20 minutes remaining in the match, Lazio capitalized on a rare chance. Adam Marusic went down the left flank with determination as he out hustled Filip Djuricic and delivered a cross pass into the box. It was well executed as Ciro Immobile was left unmarked and made his run into the box and delivered an accurate shot past Sassuolo goalkeeper, Andrea Consigli, to ensure Lazio the victory.
So, what are the three takeaways from Lazio vs Sassuolo?
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Ciro Immobile Continues to Step up for Lazio
With the match tied 1-1, Lazio’s talisman, Immobile, once against rose to the occasion for the Biancocelesti. Time and time again, he has delivered for Lazio with late winners and has been instrumental for his side. The Italian scored his 13th goal this season in Serie A which has him two back of Cristiano Ronaldo for the league lead.
Immobile is in great form as he’s now scored in 17 of their past 19 games in all competitions. Over that span, he has totalled 18 goals and has propelled his side to be near the top of the table in Serie A and advance into the Round of 16 in the Champions League. His goal versus Sassuolo was his sixth game-winner this season, which has proven how valuable he has been to Lazio.
Throughout the course of the match, he made good runs, created chances and came close to adding to his tally on numerous occasions. He showed great intensity and put constant pressure on Sassuolo’s backline which forced them to clear the ball out of bounds. He made two key passes, won two fouls and one successful dribble.
This season, Immobile has taken over the responsibility of wearing the armband and has done a great job leading his team and stepping up when needed.
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Sergej Milinkovic-Savic Fill the Void With the Absence of Luis Alberto
Earlier this week, Luis Alberto had surgery as he had to remove his appendix and, as a result, missed time with Lazio. The loss of the midfielder was massive for Lazio manager, Simone Inzaghi, as he’s been heavily dependent on the Spaniard this season. With Alberto absent versus Sassuolo, Milinkovic-Savic was heavily relied upon and the focal point in their midfield.
It was the performance that Inzaghi had been looking for as Milinkovic-Savic was tremendous for Lazio. Throughout the course of the match, the Serbian was physical and assertive as he controlled the midfield. He made four key passes, won four fouls and had a pass accuracy rate of 83.3%. He advanced the ball up-field with ease and looked calm and composed as he showed a good touch and out-muscled his opponents.
Milinkovic-Savic showed great strength in the box near the half-hour mark. Off a corner kick, he won an aerial challenge where he beat out his man and scored a powerful header past Consigli. At a time when Inzaghi needed someone to step up in the absence of Alberto, he got that precisely from Milikovic-Savic.
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Lazio Respond Well After Conceding an Early Goal
While the start to the match wasn’t what Inzaghi had hoped for, the response from his squad was encouraging to see.
Lazio have seen highs and lows this season yet, in recent times, they have shown better form and have now won four straight matches in Serie A.
Lazio had a terrible start to the match as they cheaply turned over the ball in the first ten minutes which resulted in a goal for Sassuolo. Afterwards, Lazio started to settle down and dictate the tempo and pace of the match.
Sassuolo were limited to five attempts on goal, had a possession rate of 50.7% and struggled to break down Lazio’s defense. Aside from Caputo’s goal, Lazio goalkeeper, Pepe Reina, was hardly tested throughout the match. While Lazio should have scored more from the opportunities they created, Lazio defended the lead and did not concede a goal late into the match.
Lazio have yet to lose a match in 2021 as they’ve won five and drawn one in all competitions. They have found their form at the right time and this is reassuring to see after a difficult start to the season.
