Lazio Risk a Lot But Seal Place in Champions League Knockout Stage

All Lazio needed to land into the Champions League Knockout Stage for the first time in 20 years was a draw against Club Brugge, but the Biancocelesti risked missing the train again as the Belgians went close to score a late winner that would have shown Simone Inzaghi’s side the exit door.

The game at the Stadio Olimpico ended in a 2-2 draw, with Lazio taking the lead with Ciro Immobile and Joaquìn Correa but then conceding Brugge two equalizers despite having a one-man advantage for more than one half of the match.

The Belgian’s last assault during stoppage time crashed into Pepe Reina’s woodwork and spared the Biancocelesti an incredible elimination. It should have been easier than this but Lazio somehow made it, and at the end of the day, this is all that matters.

Simone Inzaghi deployed his usual 3-5-2 lineup, with Wesley Hoedt in defense and Adam Marusic covering the left midfield flank. Lazio’s start was relentless and earned them their first goal just 12 minutes into the game, when Joaquìn Correa tapped the ball in from Simon Mignolet save at the end of an exchange with Luis Alberto.

The Belgians reacted fast, however, and drew level just three minutes later. Pepe Reina failed to block a shot from Dutch winger Noa Lang, and his teammate and fellow countryman Ruud Vormer found himself in the right place to push the ball back into the net.

A draw would qualify Lazio, but the black-and-blues showed they didn’t want to concede easily and went close to make it two when Charles De Ketelaere took advantage of a Wesley Hoedt defensive mistake and only nattowly missed the target.

The Biancocelesti put themselves ahead again on 27 minutes as Ciro Immobile broke into the area from the left and was knocked down by right-back Clinton Mata. From the spot, Immobile made no mistake. And when, a few minutes later, Eduard Sobol saw yellow for the second time and received his marching orders, the game seemed done and dusted for Simone Inzaghi’s boys.

But the game was far from over. Inzaghi replaced Stefan Radu for Hoedt and kept attacking, but neither Marusic, nor Sergej Milinkovic Savic managed to slot the ball home again. On the other hands, it was the Belgian side to equalize for the second time in the 74^th minute, with Hans Vanaken catching Luiz Felipe by surprise and heading the ball home.

Club Brugge needed one more goal to qualify and showed they were believing in it. Lazio’s legs started to shake and ultimately had to thank their crossbar, which pushed back De Ketelaere’s late effort into added time. It would have been an authentic drama, but Lazio risked way more than they should have.

MATCH REPORT

December 8, 2020 – Champions League 2020-21 Group Stage
LAZIO-CLUB BRUGGE 2-2

SCORERS: 12′ Correa (L), 15′ Vormer (B), 27′ Immobile (L, pen.), 76′ Vanaken (B)

	LAZIO (3-5-2): Reina; Luiz Felipe, Hoedt (46′ Radu), Acerbi; Lazzari, Milinkovic, Leiva (76′ Escalante), Luis Alberto (75′ Akpa Akpro), Marusic; Immobile (75′ Caicedo), Correa (86′ Pereira) (Strakosha, Alia, Anderson, Armini, Cataldi, Fares, Parolo) Coach: S. Inzaghi
	CLUB BRUGGE (4-3-1-2): Mignolet; Mata (39′ st Van Der Brempt), Kossounou, Ricca, Sobol; Vormer, Vanaken, Balanta (32′ st Rits); De Ketelaere; Lang (42′ pt Deli), Diatta (39′ st Okereke) (Badji, Dennis, Horvath, Mechele, Schrijvers) Coach: Clement

REFEREE: Cakir (Turkey)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Hoedt, Marusic (L); Red Card: Sobol (B); Extra Time: First Half 1′, Second Half 4′