Milinkovic-Savic impressed for Lazio, scoring in both legs. Image: CalcioMercato
Lazio progressed to their third Coppa Italia final in five years after defeating Roma 5-4 on aggregate. Here are five things we learned from the encounter.
5. Egyptian Duo Deadly for Roma
All three of Roma’s goals came from their Egyptian wingers, two coming from Salah and one from El Sharaawy. Salah has been great all season for Roma while El Shaarawy has yet to secure a spot in the starting eleven. The three goals were enough to secure Roma the win, but they needed five if they wished to pass directly without resorting to extra time.
4. Tensions Run High
The rivalry didn’t come without its share of tense moments, with six yellow cards being awarded throughout the course of the game. There were many times when it seemed as though either side could get a red card, but both sides remained with all eleven men throughout the course of the game. The Derby dell’ Italia is always an exciting experience, and this edition definitely didn’t come without its fair share of drama.
3. Lazio Get Revenge on Rivals
In a rivalry that has been dominated by Roma, Lazio found a way to eek out a victory. In the last 10 matches between the two sides, Roma are 6-2-2 against the Biancocelesti. While Lazio may not have gotten the win today, they did edge past Roma on aggregate. It may not be the Champions League, but Lazio fans will certainly be happy about their victory.
2. Milinkovic-Savic and Immobile Strike Again
The same two goalscorers struck again in the away leg for Lazio. Ciro Immobile and Sergei Milinkovic-Savic were the goalscorers in a 2-0 win at home in the first leg, and they got the job done for Lazio again, the duo scoring both of Lazio’s goals. While the Italian’s goals may not be so surprising, the Serbian has impressed so far in the domestic cup, already scoring three goals and assisting another. Many clubs are rumored to be interested in the midfielder, and it’ll be interesting to see what the youngster’s future holds in store.
1. Lazio At Their Best in Coppa Italia
In the last five editions of the Coppa Italia, Lazio have reached the final an impressive three times. They’ve never actually hoisted the trophy any of those times, but they have won the cup a total of three times, the fourth most in the league. They’ll most likely come up against Juventus again, barring a miraculous comeback from Napoli. They’ll have a tough task ahead of them, but they seem to perform best in the cup. Will this be the year they finally hoist the trophy?
Roma XI: Alisson 6; Rudiger 5, Manolas 5.5, Juan Jesus 6(Peres 46′, 6), Emerson 5.5; Paredes 5 (Totti 81′, N/A), Strootman 5; Salah 7, Nainggolan 6, El Shaarawy 6.5 (Perotti 81′, N/A); Dzeko 4.5
Unused Subs: Lobont, Szczesny, Rui, Fazio, Vermaelen, Grenier, Gerson, De Rossi
Lazio XI: Strakosha 6; Bastos 6.5, de Vrij 6.5 (Hoedt 46′, 6), Wallace 5.5; Basta 5 (Murgia 81′, N/A), Milinkovic-Savic 6.5, Biglia 5.5, Lulic, 7, Lukaku 5.5; Felipe Anderson 6 (Keita 57′, 5.5), Immobile 6.5
Unused Subs: Vargic, Adamonis, Patric, Radu, Crecco, Luis Alberto, Lombardi, Djordjevic, Tounkara
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
