Lazio stunned Parma on their own turf at the Ennio Tardini by snatching a winner while being reduced to nine men.
Lazio Starting Lineup
Maurizio Sarri was forced to do without the injured Gustav Isaksen and Nicolo Rovella, as well as the suspended Mario Gila. The Biancocelesti boss maintained his 4-3-3 formation, with Ivan Provedel starting between the sticks, while Patric filled in at the back alongside Alessio Romagnoli, with Luca Pellegrini and Adam Marusic occupying the full-back slots.
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The midfield remained intact, with Danilo Cataldi starting in between Matteo Guendouzi and Toma Basic, while Taty Castellanos led the line, flanked by Mattia Zaccagni and Matteo Cancellieri.
Lazio Come Close in First Half
The visitors had the clear upper hand in the first half. Not only did they dominate possession, but they also came close to scoring on several occasions, beginning with the fourth minute. After connecting with Guendouzi on the right flank, Cancellieri tried to mark his return to Parma with a swift strike from a tight angle, but it was parried away by Edoardo Corvi.
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Basic then took center stage, beginning with a long-range freekick that found Marusic, whose directed it goalwards. Castellanos was preparing to nod it home, but Nahuel Estevez pulled off a timely goal-line clearance. The Croatian midfielder then stood over another set-piece, this time from the edge of the box, but his attempt sailed just over the goal frame.
Lazio then pulled off a brilliant team play that saw Zaccagni teeing up Basic in a promising position, but he was denied by an excellent save from Corvi. On the other end of the pitch, Provedel has less work to do compared to his opposite number, but he did have to stop a curling effort from Adrián Bernabé,
which was heading towards the bottom corner.
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Mattia Zaccagni Loses His Head
Unfortunately for the Aquile, what could have been a positive first half ended on a disastrous note, with their captain receiving his marching orders. After losing possession, Zaccagni ill-advisedly lunged into Estevez, catching the midfielder with a high stud. The referee didn’t hesitate before showing him a straight red card, and no objections from the VAR were reported.
Toma Basic Shockingly Sent Off
Despite their numerical advantage, Parma struggled to create any danger. However, the match took another twist when Matteo Marchetti decided to show Lazio a second straight red.
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The match official spotted a reaction from Basic towards Estevez, and considered it dangerous play, even though the replays suggested it was only a body check. Lega Serie A commentator Patrick Kendrick labelled it a ‘scandalous’ decision.
Tijjani Noslin Stuns the Tardini
While the Crociati were expected to oppress the nine Lazio players on the pitch, the unthinkable ensued, as Tijjani Noslin, chased a long ball from Cataldi, won the physical duel against Lautaro Valenti, before dribbling past the goalkeeper and slotting the ball in the open net, sparking wild celebrations on the away end.
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The shell-shocked Parma tried to respond, but they only threatened through a long-range effort from Estevez, which was denied by an outstanding flying save from Provedel.
Lazio thus completed one of the most remarkable deeds of the Serie A campaign, as they defied all odds to return to Rome with three crucial points in the bag.
