The usual immense effort to score a goal, but in the end the deserved prize arrived. An exaggerated effort for a team that smelled like one Sensational Champions. Could be sixth place is enough, after the clarification from UEFA, Lazio was back in the running, but to reach the end successfully, to really believe in it, they had to win, there were no other results, no other possibilities. To do so he had to create half a dozen scoring chances. A cross of Felipe Andersonat 1-0 also a post of Pedrosome interventions from the phenomenon of Montipo. Before the end he must solve this problem that he has had with him since the beginning of the season, he cannot score so little while creating so much. The proportion is off. Of the top seven, only Atalanta have scored fewer (one goal difference, but they have two games in hand). Yesterday everyone made mistakes, Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson, Kamada, Pedro, Castellanos. They made too many mistakes.
In the end though Tudor found the solution on the bench: Zaccagni. He was able to rearrange the team midway through the second half. He saw her in the match, of course, but not as bad as she needed in the Verona area. Tudor’s turnaround gave Lazio the necessary sprint to score: Casale (yellow card) and Isaksen (anonymous) out, Zaccagni and Pedro in, so Marusic dropped back into the defense three, Felipe Anderson moved to the right wing, Pedro on the line of Luis Alberto and Zaccagni on the left. The push arrived and Lazio passedfully deserving it after the scoring opportunities created and wasted.
The calendar is on his side. Monza, Empoli, Inter and closing with Sassuolo. He has the energy to launch a frantic chase to at least sixth place and even fifth could become a target. She has as well a nice advantage over Atalanta, Roma and possibly Fiorentina, all involved in the cups and with two (hopefully even three) more non-league games. Serie A ends on May 26th, the recovery of Atalanta-Fiorentina could end on June 2nd, between now and that day Tudor will play four matches, Gasperini more than double, nine or perhaps ten. There’s a big difference. Yesterday Lazio overtook Atalanta (who have two games less, with Empoli today and then with Fiorentina), moved up to -3 behind Roma and pushed Napoli and Fiorentina back. With twelve points available, his sprint is launched.
The sense of team is there. It was built following different criteria from those of Tudor, it has a different nature, but the young coach’s attempts had positive effects. Yesterday he invented a pair of midfielders who were more dynamic and insertive than tactical Guendouzi-Kamada, giving up a role director despite having two on the bench, he wanted more sprint, more pace, more intensity and he achieved all this especially in the second half, when one could have thought of a decline after the effort against Juve in the Italian Cup. And when in the middle of the shot he rearranged it from top to bottom, the Lazio immediately gave the right answer, a sign that he is on the same line of thought as the coach. This is the fourth consecutive victory in official matches, including the 2-1 Coppa Italia win over Juventus. Lazio is there.
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