Salernitana-Lazio 0-2: two goals from Immobile, Sarri sees the Champions League

SALERNO – Monday Cyrus Immobile he will celebrate his thirty-third birthday with a big party. The gift made itself. In fifteen minutes, against the Salernitanathe centre-forward of the Lazio has reached and surpassed Hamrin in the scoring chart all-time in Serie A: he is now eighth at 191. Like last year, a brace against Arechi and a fasting kick that lasted from 4 January. After the goal in Cluj on Thursday, Sarri he has definitively found his center forward and is now back to scrutinizing the Champions area. The Salernitana of the new coach Paulo Sousa only lost 2-0 thanks to goalkeeper Sepe, who saved a late penalty Luis Alberto.

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Lazio without Milinkovic

Many training doubts on both sides until the kick-off. And the changes in the running that the two coaches had to make compared to the ideas of the eve. Sarri, without the injured Romagnoli and the suspended Zaccagni, lost a few hours before the match Milinkovic for gastroenteritis. He showed up at Arechi without, in fact, the backbone of Lazio this season: the most reliable defender, the most dangerous midfielder and the best striker. He therefore had space for Patric alongside Casale, for Vecino in the middle trio and for Pedro as a left attacking winger. Spaniard who in turn didn’t take the field 100 percent. Even with this emergency, the Tuscan coach didn’t feel like giving Romero or Cancellieri a chance from the start, young players that he has been cultivating for some time and that he has in fact rejected for some time.

The first Salernitana by Paulo Sousa

After a few workouts Paulo Sousa didn’t feel like implementing that tactical revolution that Nicola didn’t want to do, paying (also for this) with the exemption. The 4-man defense desired by the top management of the Campania club is postponed: the Portuguese has trusted the game system that his new players know best for now. That 3-4-2-1 that in 2015, when he coached Fiorentina, rewarded the Viola with first place in the league for most of the first leg. The philosophy remains the same: high pressing, ball recovery and quick counterattacks entrusted to Bonazzoli (a successful experiment for an hour) and to Vilhena (much less, replaced after a time). Bradaric raised to full left to hold back Marusic, Candreva more free on the right to cut the biancoceleste defense. Piatek replaces the injured Dia, Daniliuc mans Immobile, a role that on paper the bruised Troost-Ekong should have filled.

Vecino and Immobile close to scoring in the first half

The first half is fought, the show pays the bill. In the first quarter of an hour, Salernitana tries to demonstrate to their own curve – full and noisy, away games have been forbidden for Lazio fans – that the change on the bench is about to bear fruit: two shots from Candreva and a shot from Piatek not irresistible. The greatest fear for Sarri is Provedel’s attorney with an empty exit, but Candreva does not take advantage of it. Lazio fuels slowly and in the 18th minute Immobile, revitalized by Thursday’s goal against Cluj in the Conference, with a stoppage creates the conditions for a wonderful volley that engages Sepe. Nine minutes later it was Daniliuc who deflected decisively a shot by Vecino who had closed a triangle on the edge with Luis Alberto. The playmaker, without Milinkovic, took responsibility for setting up the Lazio maneuver: a behavior that Sarri appreciated.

Two goals from Immobile in the second half

There was little space for the general rehearsal of the goal, but those few balls kicked by Lazio towards Salernitana’s goal were enough to raise the curtain in the second half. To warm up the engines Pedro, after three minutes, with a cross not hooked by Luis Alberto. The former Barcelona and Chelsea player didn’t suffer from the conspicuous bandage between his nose and upper lip applied by the Lazio medical staff after a blow to his face at the start of the match. The match unlocked after the 60th minute thanks to an incursion by Marusic, who served Immobile at the far post. For the centre-forward it is difficult to make mistakes: ball in the net and stop the fast that lasted from January 4th. Immobile that repeats itself ten minutes later, when Provedel throws him directly from the goal: the attacker fits between an undecided Sepe and a too soft Pirola. The goalkeeper knocks him down and Abisso awards the penalty after revision to the Var. From the spot the number 17 scores 2-0, overtakes Hamrin and enters more and more in the history of our championship. Penalty that Cancellieri also gets close to the final whistle, spread in the area by Bronn (direct red for protests). Luis Alberto lets himself be hypnotized by Sepe and is unable to send even the rebuttal to the net. Error that Sarri will forgive: his team wins again after four games without three points and is projected back into the Champions League area. What a beautiful gift that Immobile gave him, even if the birthday is not his.

The Salernitana-Lazio match report

Salerno 0

Lazio 2 (15′ st and 24′ st fix. Building)

Salerno (3-4-2-1): Sepe 6 – Bronn 4, Daniliuc 5.5, Pirola 5 (30′ st Lovato 6) – Candreva 6, Coulibaly 5, Crnigoj 5.5 (30′ st Sambia 6), Bradaric 6 – Bonazzoli 6 (14′ st Kastanos 6), Vilhena 4.5 (1’st Valencia 5) – Piatek 5 (30’st Botheim 6). Coach Paulo Sousa 5.5.

Lazio (4-3-3): Provedel 6 – Marusic 7, Casale 6.5, Patric 6.5, Hysaj 6 – Vecino 6.5 (32′ st Basic sv), Cataldi 6, Luis Alberto 6 – Felipe Anderson 6, Immobile 7 (42′ st Cancellieri 6), Pedro 6 (32 St Romero sv). Herd Sarri 6.5.

Referee: Abyss 5.5.

Note: sent off Bronn at 44’st for protests. Vecino, Pirola, Daniliuc and Valencia booked.