3️⃣ points as Lazio lay down big Scudetto marker with Inter win | OneFootball

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Padraig Whelan·16 February 2020

3️⃣ points as Lazio lay down big Scudetto marker with Inter win

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lazio lay down big Scudetto marker with Inter win

Sunday night’s Serie A blockbuster went the way of Lazio as they sent out a massive message to fellow title hopefuls Inter.

Ashley Young’s first goal in Italy was cancelled out by a somewhat soft Ciro Immobile penalty before Sergej Milinković-Savić hit the winner.


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This is what we made of it.


Don’t doubt Lazio

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lazio lay down big Scudetto marker with Inter win

If you doubted it before now and wanted to see how Lazio fared against one of only two teams to beat them this season in the league, then stop it.

It is time to take the Aquile seriously now and acknowledge that they are in this title fight after they came from behind for a huge three points.

They were the better team for large periods of this one, with Inter never looking comfortable against an opponent who, simply put, had their number here.

The work rate in midfield and even of their attacking players in tracking back and hounding Nerazzurri players in possession was outstanding.

Inter were suffocated by Lazio’s energy as they show no signs of letting go of their club-record unbeaten run in Serie A action (which now stands at 19 games).

Such was the quality from so many men in blue that it seems harsh to single any one player out for praise.

But we’re giving an individual nod to Sergej Minlinković-Savić, who stepped up and ran the show in his side’s biggest game of the season so far.

And the way he squirmed free with fantastic footwork for the winner was pure class.


Our goalkeeping worries were justified

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lazio lay down big Scudetto marker with Inter win

All the concerns coming into this one surrounded erratic Inter goalkeeper Daniele Padelli.

The 34-year-old, who always has a calamity in his locker, has had an easy time of it since moving to Milan from Torino in 2017 – because he hasn’t played.

He has made just six appearances for the Beneamata, with half of those coming in the last month since they lost Samir Handanović to injury.

He has looked far from convincing and followed up a nervy outing in the derby last time (the win papered over the cracks) with another horror show here.

Inter fans will have watched with their hands over their eyes as he flapped around the area like a fish out of water in the build up to the Lazio penalty.

Even at the other end, the usually reliable Thomas Strakosha got caught up in the madness, his poor parry in the first half allowing Ashley Young to volley in his first Inter goal.

It was a night to forget in the Eternal City for the gladiators with the gloves.


Ciro the penalty hero

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lazio lay down big Scudetto marker with Inter win

Immobile is a lethal penalty box centre forward.

He doesn’t need any extra help in converting chances but if you give them to him, then he is going to take them.

In Serie A this season, he has taken 11 penalties and missed just once from the spot, keeping an ice cool head again in this one to score.

There were some grumbles about the nature of the award and while it may have been a little soft, you can certainly justify it being given.

When it was, you just knew the former Torino man wasn’t going to miss.

He is now well on track to break the single-season Serie A record for goals from nine yards.

That record belongs to another Lazio legend, with Giuseppe Signori netting 12 times in the 1995/96 season.

It is only mid-February. We’re backing Immobile to overcome Beppe and make another piece of calcio history.