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Lazio returned from their journey to San Siro with contemporary three factors after a hard-fought and barely controversial victory over AC Milan. Mattia Zaccagni scored for the Biancocelesti within the twenty eighth minute, and his workforce obtained an additional increase when Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic was proven a straight crimson card within the 67th. Milan fought valiantly with 10 males and ultimately equalized within the 87th by way of substitute Samuel Chuwueze, however the recreation was settled by a really late penalty for Lazio, transformed by veteran Pedro nearly eight minutes after the 90 had expired.
Groups
Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao was with out the providers of right-back Emerson Royal (muscle), in addition to left-back Alessandro Florenzi (knee) and midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek (knock).
Conceicao named 19-year-old Alejandro Jimenez on the correct defensive flank, with Theo Hernandez, Matteo Gabia and Strahinja Pavlovic comprising the remainder of the again line, forward of goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Youssouf Fofana and Yunus Musah paired up in the midst of the park, with the trio of Christian Pulisic, Tijjani Reijnders and Rafael Leao supporting Santiago Gimenez in assault.
Lazio boss Marco Baroni additionally had important accidents to work round, specifically striker Taty Castellanos (thigh), midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (ankle), former Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli, and fellow defender Elseid Hysaj.
With Ivan Provedel in purpose, centre-backs Samuel Gigot and Mario Gila had been flanked by Nuno Tavares and Adam Marusic. In midfield, Matteo Guendouzi stood subsequent to Nicolo Rovella, whereas Mattia Zaccagni, Boulaye Dia and Gustav Isaksen performed behind striker Loum Tchaouna.
Recreation recap
The match started in an unpleasantly quiet ambiance as Milan’s Curva Sud ultras left their part empty till the fifteenth minute in protest towards proprietor Gerry Cardinale, Conceicao, in addition to the gamers, amid a disappointing season.
Lazio dominated the early phases, with Dia racing by way of on purpose after a Rovella cross, just for Maignan to disclaim him with a pointy save. A harmful pullback from Nuno Tavares practically led to an personal purpose by Pavlovic, whereas Isaksen fired simply huge from distance.
The guests lastly took a deserved lead within the twenty eighth minute when Maignan parried Marusic’s shot into the trail of Zaccagni, who tapped in on the again publish.
A pissed off Conceicao launched Joao Felix for Musah, however Lazio remained the extra threatening aspect, with Zaccagni volleying simply huge earlier than Milan had been jeered off by the house crowd at halftime.
The hosts responded after the break, with Felix blasting over and Gimenez glancing a header narrowly off course. Nevertheless, their hopes of a comeback suffered a blow within the 67th minute when Pavlovic was despatched off for what was deemed a last-man foul on Isaksen throughout a Lazio counterattack.
Regardless of being all the way down to 10 males, Milan discovered an equalizer six minutes from time when Samuel Chukwueze powered a header previous Provedel from a Leao cross.
However simply as Milan appeared to have salvaged some extent, Maignan fouled Isaksen within the field in stoppage time, permitting Pedro to transform the penalty and hand Milan their third straight league defeat.
Debatable calls
Referee Gianluca Manganiello made two very large selections which clearly impacted the competition drastically, each going towards Milan and in favour of Lazio.
There may be no denying the truth that Pavlovic’s deal with on Isaksen was late – it was a foul and a bookable one at that, nevertheless it’s extremely debatable whether or not Isaksen’s place in that state of affairs may be classed as a transparent goalscoring alternative. It occurred nicely exterior the field, barely huge on the correct, whereas two different Milan gamers had been chopping throughout from the opposite aspect. A number of digicam angles arguably point out that a minimum of one would’ve gotten there in time to forestall Isaksen from going one-on-one with Maignan.
Nonetheless, Manganiello was very fast to flash the crimson card at Pavlovic.
Deep in stoppage time, Isaksen did go one-on-one with Maignan, obtained to the ball first and poked it away from the Milan goalkeeper, who pulled his arms out to not commit a foul however nonetheless caught the Lazio winger together with his trailing legs. The contact was there, nevertheless it was very clear that Isaksen had poked it too exhausting, and there was no manner for him to retrieve it earlier than it crossed the pitch boundary.
The truth is, Manganiello didn’t even give the penalty at first, awarding Milan a goal-kick, however the VAR intervened this time and despatched him to the display screen, prompting a change of resolution.
From a impartial viewpoint, each these calls may very well be described as 50-50, which might imply that neither of Manganiello’s preliminary calls was a “clear and apparent error” and that the VAR was proper to not become involved when Pavlovic obtained his marching orders, however primarily based on the identical precept, there ought to’ve been no late penalty for Lazio.
Conceicao below elevated strain
Be that as it might, Milan’s general efficiency on this match was precisely the type which has gotten them the place they’re. Conceicao’s tenure started with Suppercoppa glory, however the Rossoneri have since been eradicated from the Champions League by the hands of Feyenoord, and the third league defeat in a row has pushed them all the way down to ninth place.
There’s a variety of high quality in Conceicao’s squad, complemented notably by the arrivals of Kyle Walker and Santiago Gimenez this winter, however the workforce merely couldn’t establish the correct method to go ahead, to create a correct likelihood, or forestall the guests from repeatedly inflicting them issues by way of fast transition.
If issues don’t enhance very quickly, Conceicao is prone to discover himself strolling by way of the exit door slightly quickly. The video games away to Lecce and at house towards Como MUST be received, particularly with the Coppa Italia semifinal first leg towards Inter Milan and a visit to Napoli to come back after that.
Lazio plow on
Whereas issues look very gloomy for Milan in the mean time, the view may be very completely different from the opposite aspect. Lazio received’t be trying again at this recreation for too lengthy – the three factors they took have pushed them straight into the highest 4, although they are going to be conscious that they’re prone to finish the spherical in fifth, after Juventus host Hellas Verona in Turin on Monday.
Baroni’s workforce will now begin making ready for the double header towards Viktoria Plzen within the Europa League spherical of 16, with a house match towards Udinese nestled in between.
