Following Lazio’s 3-0 battering of Cagliari, Maurizio Sarri’s men took on relegation side Venezia at the Stadio Olimpico. With Atalanta and Roma both having dropped points during the weekend, this was the perfect opportunity for Lazio to climb up in the table; they rose to the occasion and won the match 1-0, picking up a very important three points.
First Half
The first half kicked off and Lazio quickly took control of the game.
With every passing minute, the Biancocelesti applied pressure to the opposition and created many goal-scoring opportunities.
Unfortunately, Sarri’s men were not able to find the back of the net and the half ended with Mattia Zaccagni picking up a yellow card for simulation which means he will miss the Derby della Capitale against Roma next week.
Second Half
In the second half, Lazio still dominated Venezia but struggled to convert any opportunities.
They finally seemed in the clear when star man, Ciro Immobile slotted the ball into the back of the net but the goal was ruled out since the Italian was offside.
Not too long afterwards, Luiz Felipe won a header in Venezia’s box but was struck in the face by a boot. After a VAR review, Lazio were awarded a penalty. Immobile stepped up and slot the penalty past the keeper, giving Lazio the 1-0 lead. This strike cemented himself as Lazio’s all-time leading goal scorer in Serie A with 144 goals, surpassing Silvio Piola who had 143.
After Lazio took the lead, the tempo of the match really calmed down until the final whistle.
Final Thoughts
All in all, even after a generally poor Lazio performance, Sarri’s men were still able to get by Venezia and secure three crucial points in their chase for a top-four spot; this win saw them leapfrog Atalanta and Roma to take the fifth-place position in Serie A.
There is still a lot of work to be done to catch up to Juventus but, Lazio now sit only 7 points away from a UEFA Champions League spot. Their next fixture is probably the most important not just for the league, but also for bragging rights across the capital as they take on their rivals Roma in the Derby della Capitale.
