Spezia proved perilous at home but Lazio showed their character in a hard fought 4-3 comeback win tonight.
The Biancocelesti came into tonight’s match against the Aquilotti keen for a win following a painful 2-1 comeback loss to league leaders Milan last weekend. Maurizio Sarri’s side are hoping to pip intercity rivals Roma to 5th in the table, qualifying them for the Europa League.
Lazio started on the front foot but it was Spezia who took an early lead thanks to Kelvin Amian, who scored a close range header following a set piece. The Biancocelesti refused to roll over though and both Ciro Immobile and Mattia Zaccagni worked hard to find an equaliser.
In the 32nd minute the Roman club’s efforts were rewarded after Dimitrios Nikolaou conceded a handball inside the penalty area. Immobile had no trouble slotting home the resulting spot kick, tying the game 1-1.
Only seconds later, however, Spezia again took the lead thanks to a Kevin Agudelo strike, sending the home fans wild. The two sides jostled for the remainder of the first half, but Lazio couldn’t do anything to stop themselves going into the half time break 2-1 down.
In the second half Lazio continued to push for their second equaliser, finally being rewarded in the 54th minute after an unfortunate own goal by goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, who has been linked with a summer move to the Roman club.
Incredibly, Spezia immediately responded once again, taking a 3-2 lead after Petko Hristov’s header found the top left corner of the goal. After a few more fruitless attempts, Lazio found yet another equaliser in the 68th minute thanks to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, his goal confirmed after a short VAR review.
In the dying minutes of the match, fate had her say on the match; public enemy number one in Rome, Francesco Acerbi, managed to scrape home a 90th minute winner, securing all three points after an incredibly tough evening.
The goal might not be enough to secure Acerbi’s future in the Italian capital, but it certainly proved to be an incredible moment
