Lazio bounced back in Serie A after clinching a professional 1-0 win over Cagliari in front of their home fans at the Stadio Olimpico.
Veteran winger Pedro scored the sole goal of the match within the first ten minutes of play, steering the ball in the back of the net courtesy of a pin-pointed center from full-back Manuel Lazzari.
Sealing all three points has allowed the Biancocelesti to climb up into ninth place in the league standings, only four points adrift from fourth-placed Napoli. In addition, coach Maurizio Sarri’s side possesses two consecutive wins across all competitions after having beat Celtic over the midweek to secure their spot in the Round of 16 of the Champions League.
Pedro on the Rise After Ending Goal-Scoring Drought
Lots of doubts and concerns surrounded the 36-year-old winger as Pedro failed to tally a single-goal contribution in his first eleven appearances in the Serie A. In addition, numerous physical issues forced the Spanish international to remain at bay for several fixtures.
However, Pedro seems to be on the cusp of possibly rejuvenating himself following a sluggish start to the 2023/24 campaign as the Spaniard broke the in the eighth minute of open play with superb one-touch finish, lightly stroking the ball past shot-stopper Simone Scuffet after making Lazzari’s well-weighted delivery into the box stick.
Coach Maurizio Sarri’s Free-Flowing Play in Full Display
Sarri’s side seemed to have reignited their charisma and confidence on the ball when progressing towards goal, as they demonstrated exquisite fluidity and a great sense of urgency on the break.
Pedro and Gustav Isaksen dominated the flanks with their speed and their perfectly-timed runs in-behind their opponent’s defence, linking up with Italian forward Ciro Immobile with several swift sequence of passes that were eye-catching.
Furthermore, central midfielders Matteo Guendouzi and Luis Alberto were brilliant in the middle of the park as they both dispersed superb diagonal passes and through-balls to stretch the play and rattle coach Claudio Ranieri’s defensive shape.
Ivan Provedel Reminds Everyone Why He Is One of the World’s Best Goalkeepers
Despite having undergone a rough patch of form as Ivan Provedel conceded questionable goals in recent displays, the Italian shot-stopper capitalized on his opportunity to silence his critics.
Whilst troublesome defensive play Lazio’s back-line occurred within the dying minutes of the match, Provedel performed an incredible acrobatic save to deny Leonardo Pavoletti’s diving header to seize his fifth clean sheet of the season, strengthening his claim to be Lazio’s primary choice in between the sticks.
