Football Italia
·18 August 2024
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·18 August 2024
Marco Baroni had an early scare on his debut as Lazio coach, but they fought back to beat error-prone Venezia 3-1 including Taty Castellanos and Mattia Zaccagni goals.
The Biancocelesti were revamped and had numerous new players. Mario Gila was out with a muscular injury and Nuno Tavares only fit for the bench. The Lagunari were promoted via the play-offs, but then hired ex-Roma boss Eusebio Di Francesco, who debuted with a 3-1 Coppa Italia defeat to Brescia. He had Jay Idzes, Antonio Candela and Saad El Haddad suspended, plus Gianluca Busio, Mato Jajalo, Bjarki Bjarkason and top scorer Joel Pohjanpalo injured. Tanner Tessmann was frozen out waiting for a transfer.
Venezia took a shock lead within three minutes, as Nicolò Rovella was caught dawdling in his own penalty area, Mikael Ellertsson laid it off for the magnificent Magnus Andersen right-foot curler into the top corner on his Serie A debut.
However, the Lagunari soon returned the favour when Michael Svoboda stumbled on the ball on the edge of his own penalty area under pressure from Taty Castellanos, who lashed it past Jasse Joronen undisturbed.
Moments later, a Castellanos glancing header was smothered, then Rovella’s lob into the net didn’t count over an earlier foul on Alfred Duncan.
Mattia Zaccagni’s curler was deflected wide and a Francesco Zampano cross-shot was just off target, but Castellanos should’ve done better with a free header past the far post on the Tijjani Noslin cross.
Lazio were awarded a penalty just before half-time, as Noslin rolled across for Castellanos, who got there before Marin Sverko swung the boot at the clearance and kicked him instead. Zaccagni converted into the bottom corner, despite Joronen almost getting his fingertips to it.
They kept pushing, forcing a double Joronen save on Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and the Adam Marusic follow-up.
Castellanos was unfortunate not to add a third goal for Lazio on 56 minutes, his effort taking a big deflection to loop up into the air, Joronen back-pedalling to fingertip it onto the crossbar.
Moments later, Venezia wasted the chance to equalise with Ridgeciano Haps trying to over-complicate matters off the outside of the boot when sent clear on goal by Ellertsson.
Haps again tried to get the Lagunari on level terms, but Ivan Provedel made the save at the near post.
Lazio locked down the points instead, as Manuel Lazzari pulled across the six-yard box from the right and in trying to prevent the Loum Tchaouna tap-in, Giorgio Altare put it in his own net by mistake.
Castellanos thought he had another moments later, but his right-foot curler thumped the far post.
Provedel had one big save to make in stoppages, preventing Alessio Romagnoli from nodding a corner into his own net.
Andersen 3 (V), Castellanos 11 (L), Zaccagni pen 44 (L), Altare og 81 (L)