Serie A Report: Lazio 3-1 Inter Milan

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Champions Inter visited Lazio with Simone Inzaghi making his first return to his former club since leaving in the summer.

The home side made a quicker start, looking to get Pedro and Anderson on the ball early. However, Inter’s defence held firm as they attempted to get forward down the right predominantly. That pressure paid off with Barella touching the ball past Hysaj before the defender caught the midfielder inside the box. Perisic stepped up and scored with Lazio justified in feeling hard done by after the kind of beginning they had.

 

To their credit, that goal seemed to have spurred Lazio on. Anderson’s pacy run and cutback found Basic whose low shot was well kept out by Handanovic before Skriniar cleared. The away side were struggling to get hold of the ball and make something meaningful of it. Nevertheless, they remained a solid threat with Perisic’s rasping shot being saved away by Reina as halftime approached.

 

Pedro’s shot from just outside the box had Handanovic scrambling with Inter heading into the break holding a slender lead.

The early parts of the second half was a much more even affair as they both looked to stay patient and work the openings. That came just past the hour mark for Maurizio Sarri’s team. A corner was headed by Immobile onto the hand of Bastoni with the referee immediately pointing to the spot. The captain himself took the responsibility and sent Handanovic the wrong way to equalise with his seventh goal of the season.

 

With the game entering the final 10 minutes, a major talking about came about along with a goal. Immobile’s shot from the side of the penalty area was pushed away by Handanovic straight into the path of an onrushing Anderson. The Brazilian made no mistake in netting after fracas arose immediately after. Dimarco was down on the deck in the buildup to the goal with Inter feeling that the ball should have been put out of play. Nevertheless, the game went on and Lazio scored with four players being booked in the aftermath.

 

A third goal came in injury time as a perfectly taken quick free-kick from Alberto found Milinkovic-Savic who nodded past a static Handanovic. Inter fell to their first defeat of the season while Lazio pick up a statement win at home.

Here are the three key takeaways from the match:

LAZIO DIG DEEP FOR THE WIN

Sarri’s men started brilliantly and attacked with speed over the first quarter of an hour before Inter slowly made their way back. In that dominating period, both Pedro and Immobile went close while Lucas blasted his shot over. However, the penalty against Hysaj complicated matters and with Inter managing the game well till halftime, it looked like they would have to do something different.

 

Lazio kept their put on the gas and expertly utilised their two widemen who got forward regularly. Immobile was proving a nuisance to deal with for the centre backs and it was him winning the ball from a corner that led to the game leveling up. It was Immobile again, whose shot forced Handanovic into a mistake leading to the second goal. The clincher came in injury with Milinkovic-Savic scoring from a free kick.

 

SLOPPY INTER SLIP UP

It was not a happy return for Inzaghi but his team really could have few complaints. After weathering a barrage of early Lazio attacks, the Nerrazzurri took the lead from a penalty. They could have doubled the lead with Dzeko and Perisic both having good chances till the hour mark. The game changed with the help of another spot kick.

 

Bastoni’s handball allowed Immobile to score before the striker’s shot forced Handanovic into a weak save that profited Anderson. Though there was some argy bargy from the away side regarding the conditions under which the goal came, there would be no argument regarding the third. Poor marking and getting caught off guard allowed Milinkovic-Savic to score against Inter again.

 

TITLE RACE FOR EVERYONE

Napoli have seven wins from seven to lead the table but the pace is heating up from in behind. Second to fifth are separated by just five points while Juventus have also looked like being back in contention of late. It will take many more games into the season to decide who eventually wins in 2022.





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