Lazio secure Europa League spot as they draw with Juventus

 

After holding Juventus to a 2-2 draw, Lazio have secured another Europa League ticket for next season.

The Rome team needed at least a win to guarantee their participation for next season.

It could be said that Lazio spoiled the party for Juventus as they waved goodbye to Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala who played their last home games for the team.

Juve had led the tie with two quality goals, only for Lazio to equalise in stoppage time and qualify for the Europa League.

For Juventus, the game follows the loss of the Coppa Italia final 4-2 to Inter in extra time on Wednesday. This means Juventus ended the season empty-handed for the first time since 2010-11.

However, it was a different mood at the Juventus Stadium as Chiellini and Dybala took their final home bow as Juventus players.

Despite the absence of their talisman, Ciro Immobile, Lazio did the needful to ensure Europa League qualification.

They showed that they meant business with the first attack from Danilo Cataldi’s rocket from the edge of the area after four minutes. The ball thumped the crossbar with Mattia Perin well beaten.

However, it was Juventus that took the lead. Alvaro Morata whipped a cross to the back post, and Dusan Vlahovic was there to score after sneaking away from Adam Marusic to nod in from point-blank range.

Federico Bernardeschi also unleashed a left-foot curler which went over, and Felipe Anderson drilled wide.

Chiellini was taken off after just 15 minutes to receive a standing ovation from the crowd, his teammates, and opponents as planned.

As Lazio were in search of an equaliser, Juve doubled their lead in a fantastic way. Dybala released a back-heel for Juan Cuadrado, who ran on the counter. The Colombian then spread it for Morata, who cut inside and created that tiny bit of space he needed to blast into the far top corner with his right foot.

After constant pressure, Lazio reduced the deficit through Cataldi after the restart. Patric’s header from Cataldi’s was going wide until Alex Sandro prodded in at the back post.

Lazio eventually got the equaliser in the last minute. Zaccagni collected the ball from Cuadrado, who was on the counter. This then sparked a Lazio counter that saw Perin get one hand to the Toma Basic strike, but Milinkovic-Savic turned in the rebound from the tightest of angles.

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed