Football Italia
·5 dicembre 2024
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Yahoo sportsFootball Italia
·5 dicembre 2024
Lazio rose to a 3-1 Coppa Italia victory over Serie A leaders Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday night thanks to a Tijjani Noslin hat-trick, which means that Antonio Conte and the Partenopei are out of the cup for another year.
Both coaches named heavily rotated sides for the midweek cup clash: There was no Nuno Tavares, Matteo Guendouzi, Taty Castellanos or Boulaye Dia in the Lazio line-up, while Conte went without Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Romelu Lukaku, Scott McTominay or Alessandro Buongiorno, among several other first-team regulars.
Napoli pose for a team photograph prior to the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Napoli at Stadio Olimpico on December 05, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
It was Lazio who came out with the most energy after kick-off.
The Biancocelesti had an opportunity to put themselves 1-0 up from the penalty spot after 20 minutes when Pedro was brought down by Elia Caprile in the Partenopei area. Mattia Zaccagni stepped up to take, but saw his effort kept out by the understudy Lazio stopper.
Lazio would make amends 10 minutes later. Loum Tchaouna’s corner went deep, was headed back into the mixer by Samuel Gigot and then nodded in from within the six-yard box by Noslin for his third goal in all competitions this season.
It took just four minutes for the visitors to respond, though. David Neres won the ball in the Lazio half, drove forwards before releasing his shot, which was parried by Christos Mandas and then tucked in by Simeone at full stretch.
Noslin doubled his seasonal goal tally within the space of nine minutes of this evening’s game. Lazio won the ball back again on the turnover, Pedro and Zaccagni combined neatly in the area, which resulted in the Dutchman having a free shot on goal from 10 yards out.
Simeone almost got his second of the night three minutes before half-time after a neat exchange between Billy Gilmour and David Neres, but he was denied by a fine, instinctive save from Mandas from point-blank range.
Noslin mae it a hat-trick just four minutes into the second period, latching onto a tempting cross in from Zaccagni to head home from a tight angle in the six-yard box. Juan Jesus got a heavy touch to it, and even if the ball completely changed directions, it was going in with or without the defender’s intervention.
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 05: Tijjani Noslin celebrates a third goal during the Italy Frecciarossa Cup match against Napoli at Stadio Olimpico in Rome on December 05, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Though both teams called for their first-team regulars in the second half – Guendouzi, McTominay, Lukaku and Stanislav Lobotka were among those introduced – Lazio were fairly comfortable throughout the 90 and had no issues in seeing out a two goal lead.
Lazio progress to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals as a result of Thursday’s victory. They will face the winner of Inter-Udinese in the next round.
By sheer coincidence, Lazio and Napoli will face each other again in Serie A on Sunday, albeit at the Stadio Maradona this time.
Noslin (L) 32’, 41’, 50, Simeone (N) 36’.