Lazio took a huge step towards Champions League qualification by beating Juventus. The Olimpico gave Pedro Rodríguez's team a boost in their race to clinch a place in the Champions League next season, as the 2-1 victory over the Vecchia Signora was a very important step towards the target.
The local side knew well how to fight, beat and suffer to get the all three points in a hard-fought clash with goals from Milinkovic-Savic (38') and Zaccagni (54'), as Rabiot's equaliser was finally useless to grab a point (42'). Pedro played the last 25 minutes of the game, contributing with hard-work and attacking power during the final and decisive phase of the match.
Lazio had the better of the first half as Milinkovic-Savic threatened three times early on before a Ciro Immobile volley required a sharp diving save from Wojciech Szczesny.
The hosts’ pressure eventually told when Zaccagni floated a ball to the back post, where Milinkovic-Savic controlled and finished after being left all alone when Alex Sandro fell to the floor claiming a foul. The officials weren’t interested in the Brazilian’s protests.
It was a deserved lead that the Biancocelesti had worked hard for, but they quickly let it slip as four minutes later Rabiot scrambled the ball over the line after Ivan Provedel parried a Gleison Bremer header from a corner, ending Lazio’s run of six clean sheets in a row.
Lazio were quickly back on the front foot after the break, though, and restored their advantage in style when Luis Alberto played Zaccagni into space with a deft flick and the winger finished calmly into the bottom corner.
Zaccagni added his second of the night soon after when he raced to meet a through ball and finish, but the goal was chalked off for offside.
Juventus pressed forward in search of an equaliser, with Federico Chiesa causing problems from the bench, but they struggled to carve out clear openings against Lazio's watertight defence.
The result puts Maurizio Sarri’s side in a commanding position in the six-way battle for three Champions League places, as they sit in second place, seven points clear of Inter Milan in fifth.
- Ficha del Partido:
LAZIO (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Milinkovic, Cataldi (69' Vecino), Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Immobile (64' Pedro), Zaccagni (84' Basic).
JUVENTUS (3-5-1-1): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Alex Sandro; Cuadrado (69' Danilo), Fagioli (86' Miretti), Locatelli (63' Parades), Rabiot, Kostic (63' Chiesa); Di Maria, Vlahovic (63' Milik).
Tarjetas amarillas: Marco Di Bello (sez. di Brindisi) amonestó a Alex Sandro (45'), Locatelli (45'+3'), Cuadrado (51'), Provedel (78'), Milinkovic (86'), Miretti (90'+5').
Goles: 38' Milinkovic (L), 42' Rabiot (J), 54' Zaccagni (L)
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