Lazio Secures Last-Minute Serie A Win Over Fiorentina

 Lazio Secures Last-Minute Serie A Win Over Fiorentina

Martinez Quarta of ACF Fiorentina fights for the ball with Valentin Castellanos of SS Lazio during the Serie A TIM match between SS Lazio and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on October 30, 2023 in Rome(Image-Getty)

Lazio secured a 1-0 home victory over Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on Monday, courtesy of a last-minute penalty by their captain, Ciro Immobile. The crucial spot-kick, struck low into the left of the net, saw Fiorentina's goalkeeper, Pietro Terracciano, deceived as Immobile expertly found the back of the net after the referee awarded Lazio the penalty for a handball committed by Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic.

Fiorentina, eager to secure a spot in the Serie A top four, found themselves thwarted by the loss, placing them in sixth position in the standings with 17 points. They currently trail behind champions Napoli in fifth place by a single point and lag behind fourth-placed Atalanta by a margin of two points. On the other hand, Lazio's triumph propelled them to seventh place in the league standings, boasting 16 points. Notably, this victory marked Lazio's first three consecutive home wins in the competition since April.

Reflecting on the match, Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri acknowledged the arduous nature of the game, acknowledging Fiorentina's strong performance in the first half. However, Sarri highlighted Lazio's resilience in creating scoring opportunities and maintaining a solid defensive front during the second half, validating the hard-earned victory.

The match featured several key moments, including a disallowed goal by Fiorentina's new signing, Lucas Beltran, due to a handball in the 13th minute. Despite the spirited effort from both sides, Lazio's Felipe Anderson's close-range attempt was impressively thwarted by Fiorentina's Terracciano just before the hour mark.

Expressing disappointment in the outcome, Fiorentina's coach, Vincenzo Italiano, lamented the team's costly errors and the missed opportunity to achieve better results in the last two matches. Notably, Fiorentina's struggle continued, as they have not managed to secure a victory in their last eight Serie A away matches against Lazio, with six losses and two draws.

Looking ahead, Lazio is set to travel to Bologna for their next fixture on Friday, while Fiorentina prepares to face off against second-placed Juventus on Sunday.