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·18 February 2024

Serie A | Lazio 1-2 Bologna: Zirkzee marches on Rome

Bologna came back from an early Gustav Isaksen goal to make it four consecutive Serie A victories, thanks to Oussama El Azzouzi and Joshua Zirkzee, damaging Lazio’s European ambitions.

The Biancocelesti were coming off a midweek Champions League win over Bayern Munich, but Matias Vecino and Alessio Romagnoli were suspended, with Mattia Zaccagni, Elseid Hysai and Nicolò Rovella injured, so Gil Patric returned to the starting XI for the first time since dislocating his shoulder a month ago. Remo Freuler sat out a ban and Adama Soumaoro was injured for the visitors, who beat Fiorentina 2-0 on Wednesday in a rescheduled tie.

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There was a touching tribute before kick-off to Sinisa Mihajlovic, the former Lazio player and Bologna coach, with wife Arianna in the stands. Tuesday would’ve been his birthday.

Lewis Ferguson blasted just over from the edge of the box and Lukasz Skorupski stuck out a foot to parry the Ciro Immobile strike.

There was bad news for Lazio, who lost Patric after just 12 minutes to what seems to be a muscular issue, so Nicolò Casale came on.

Moments later, Immobile had the ball in the net from a tight angle, but had wandered offside on the Felipe Anderson assist.

For the second time, Jhon Lucumi saw a pass intercepted and Bologna were made to pay, as Isaksen completed a give and go with Immobile to sweep home with the inside of the left boot.

It's untidy at the back from Bologna and Lazio make them pay to take the lead 🦅 pic.twitter.com/AEaVPtYpSV — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 18, 2024

Both Zirkzee and Riccardo Orsolini couldn’t quite get on the end of a dangerous Alexis Saelemaekers cross, while Skorupski denied Immobile after the offside trap failed.

Isaksen thought he had made it 2-0 with a left-foot curler on the half-hour mark, but Skorupski literally just got his fingertips to push it onto the upright.

However, Bologna equalised when Lazio were caught out trying to play from the back. Luis Alberto over-hit the back-pass that Ivan Provedel struggled to deal with, so Giovanni Fabbian pounced to set up Oussama El Azzouzi for a tap-in. Initially, the flag had gone up, but VAR showed that Casale was keeping everyone onside.

Bologna grab a goal just before half time, El Azzouzi puts it away after Fabbian is gifted the ball from Provedel 🫣 pic.twitter.com/C4J6FC35SX — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 18, 2024

The Biancocelesti fought back immediately, Isaksen stinging Skorupski’s gloves, then on the resulting corner Matteo Guendouzi’s effort was cleared off the line by Lucumi.

Maurizio Sarri was furious on the stroke of half-time, feeling that Isaksen was fouled by Ferguson right on the edge of the box, but the referee waved play on.

Lazio started to look tired and allowed more of the possession to the visitors, but were still dangerous, as Skorupski had to come flying off his line to take the ball off the feet of Taty Castellanos, who had sprung the offside trap on a pass over the top.

Bologna turned the game around completely with a well-worked move, as Zirkzee spread the pass to Victor Kristiansen down the left, then ran through the centre to be ready for the return ball, scoring from 12 yards with the right boot.