The Lazio beats Ajax 3-1 in a match valid for the sixth day of the Europa League, played at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam. Goals from Tchaouna in the 12th minute, Dele-Bashiru in the 52nd minute and Pedro in the 77th minute decided the match; Traoré scored the home team’s goal in the 47th minute. In the Capitoline standings, they are first together with Athletic Bilbao with 16 points, the Dutch stopped at 10. On the seventh day, Lazio hosts Real Sociedad, while Ajax will visit Latvian side Rigas.
It matches
Lazio beat Ajax with an authoritative performance that keeps them at the top of the Europa League standings and one step away from direct qualification to the round of 16. The Biancocelesti take to the pitch without the support of their fans who have been banned from attending.
The first chance of the match goes to the Dutch in the 5th minute. Traorè returns to the left in the area and shoots a shot to the far post, the conclusion is just wide. In the 9th minute the Lancers took a big risk with the low build, putting goalkeeper Pasveer in difficulty: they threw the ball back at Castellanos, but the rebound went out. In the 12th minute the Biancocelesti broke the deadlock: Dia recovered the ball in the Dutch midfield, Rovella immediately supported Castellanos, who served Tchaouna magnificently from the outside: a cut into the area in the center from the right and a winning left. In the 19th minute Ajax one step away from equalizing: a perfect corner kick frees Rensch to cross into the area. Brobbey heads the ball alone, but sensationally sends it wide.
In the 23rd minute another risk taken by the home team with a dangerous back pass to goalkeeper Pasveer. Castellanos tries again to recover, but is anticipated by the opposing goalkeeper. In the rush he suffers a blow, but Pasveer’s intervention is regular and on the ball. In the 28th minute Castellanos shot from outside the area, just wide. On the half hour mark, Brobbey’s header from a Berghuis cross from the left with the ball just wide to Mandas’ left. The Greek goalkeeper was in the way anyway. In the 34th minute great action by Ajax who even enters the small area with the ball. Brobbey, marked with his back to goal, passes behind for Traorè who goes for a shot blocked by Dele-Bashiru. In the 38th minute Hato was booked for a foul on Gigot. In the 40th minute Castellanos was unmarked very well in the area, but instead of volleying he preferred to put the ball in the middle and wasted everything. In injury time in the first half, Rovella received a yellow card for an overly impetuous intervention on Godt.
In the 1st minute of the second half, Pellegrini received a yellow card for a late challenge on Brobbey. In the 2nd minute Ajax equalised. Dangerous free kick from the right, a header finds the deflection onto Pellegrini’s line. Traorè comes running on the loose ball in the area and shoots with his left foot and sends the ball under the crossbar. The home team’s advantage did not last long because in the 7th minute the Romans took the lead again. Pedro serves Zaccagni, who points to the man on the left and puts a tense ball in the middle, which Castellanos narrowly misses. However, at the far post, in a tight angle, Dele-Bashiru immediately shoots with his right foot and finds the goal to make it 2-1. Pasveer saves when the ball has already entered the goal, as confirmed by the goal-line technology.
In the 12th minute, on a cross from the left, Pellegrini attempts a back pass on the chest to Mandas, but he calibrates it very badly and allows Brobbey to intervene on the fly, but his shot ends up wide. In the 22nd minute Tavares came on in place of Pellegrini and in the 27th minute it was Gila’s turn to replace Patric. In the 32nd minute the biancoceleste hat trick arrives with Pedro. Tavares breaks Ajax’s pressure with one of his runs and serves Tchaouna very well, the Frenchman supports with his heel for the arrival of the former Barcelona player, who stops with his right foot and beats Pasveer with his left foot for the 3-1. In the 39th minute Castellanos missed the goal to make it 4-1. Long throw caught by the Argentine, taken in a regular position: the shot below was saved by Pasveer.
In the 40th minute, a great strike from Traoré hits the crossbar. A minute later Ajax again dangerous with Akpom: Mandas rejects. In the 43rd minute Pedro comes out and Guendouzi comes on. At 45′ the last thrill of the match. Akpom stands alone and very well on a cross from the right, but his crushed header just grazes the post to the right of Mandas. After four minutes of injury time the referee’s final whistle comes and Lazio becomes the seventh Italian team to win on the Ajax pitch, after Juve, Milan, Inter, Roma, Atalanta and Napoli. Plus she succeeded on the first try.