All Milan challenged and in ten beaten by Lazio on a penalty kick in 98’

At the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Lazio beat Milan 2-1 in the Sunday evening match of the 27th day of Serie A. The Biancocelesti momentarily bypass Juventus in fourth place, from which the Rossoneri are now 9 points behind.

On 3’ Maignan’s feat of a foot deflects a shot by Dia served by Rovella, on the following corner again Dia, this time with a header, puts it out.

On 6’ Nuno Tavares crpssa low in the small area and Pavlovic deflects for a corner, risking an own goal. At 12’ Isaksen from a distance, out just wide.

At 13’ Dia runs towards the goal and Musah knocks him down behind probably not even touching the ball, Manganiello says it can be continued. At 19’ here is finally Milan: Leao for Reijnders, shot parried by Provedel.

At 28’ Lazio in the lead: restart of the biancocelesti, Tchaouna for Marusic, shot rejected by Maignan, on the ball arrives Zaccagni who anticipates Jimenez in the split and with his left hand he scores.

Conceicao at 37’ takes off Musah and inserts Joao Felix, who three minutes later, taken by Reijnders, on the edge of the area puts it out. In the second minute of recovery  Zaccagni on the volley with the right grazes the double.

Resume. Already from the first half the Rossoneri fans protest everyone from the team to the company, meanwhile at 52’ Pulisic dà to Joao Felix who with the right sends high by a little. At 54’ Zaccagni then comes close one’time to doubling the score by putting just outside.

On 63’ Provedel providentially clears a cross from Gabbia, shortly after Gimenez’s header goes wide. At 67’ Pavlovic knocks down Isaksen thrown on the run and Manganiello expels him: Milan in ten.

At 71’ Maignan’s bad exit on Nuno Tavares’ free kick, Theo Hernandez saves the Rossoneri goal. At’85’ Milan equalizes: Leao crosses from the left for Chukwueze, who entered in place of Pulisic, who header nets in.

At’86’ yet another chance thrown away by Lazio: Dia for Isaksen, right footer that Maignan manages to block. In the recovery Manganiello after Var consultation concedes the penalty to Lazio for Maignan’s foul on Isaksen, at 98’ Pedro turns the winning penalty.

Roma, Claudio Ranieri dà credit to the team for the victory over Como

This is how Roma coach Claudio Ranieri, who was honored as the best coach in Serie A for the month of February, after the comeback victory over Como.

“We had to manage the game a little better by turning the ball over, but you have to give kudos to this Como team. I had said we would go to the dentist without anesthesia, and that’s how it was. I didn’t win the game, but the boys; if I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t pick up games. I knew what the boys could give me, the bench è an added value”.

Lazio and fifth place are now only four points away, but for Ranieri the stimulus “must be within us regardless of the other teams. I am not used to promises but I want the maximum from myself and my players. I did not make tables, we are in the final bend and then there will be; the straight, we have to push becauseé and manage to stick to the bandwagon, pitfalls are in every game. These are important points hoping that they can be useful to us in the final rush”.

Finally a thought on the next European engagement, Thursday against Athletic Bilbao: “I expect a vibrant match, we face the fourth in the LIga. They have a limited pool of players but they are strong, we are there and we want to do well”.

Virtus Bologna beats Olimpia Milano, the words of Dusko Ivanovic and Ettore Messina

Virtus Bologna rang out, beating EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 86-80 at the Segafredo Arena in the big match of the 20th day of LBA. It went on in spurts in the first quarter: 8-1 for Milan, 15-15 and 17-17, 25-17 for Olimpia ending the first ten minutes on 25-20. In the second quarter from 20-29 Virtus threads an 18-2 partial and goes to the’long interval ahead 38-34.

Same old story in the second half: in the third quarter the hosts stretch to 50-38, get caught up 55-55 but at the last ten minutes they still get there ahead 63-59. In the last quarter Dusko Ivanovic’s team managed to hold off Ettore Messina’s team, in whose ranks there were 22 points by Nikola Mirotic, for Virtus 19 and 7 rebounds by Marco Belinelli. Here are the words of the two coaches.

Dusko Ivanovic: “We started like in the last game then we put the right energy and intensity in the rest of the game. We had Shengelia who due to fever never è trained. A good win for us. I honestly don’t know what people are saying. But I believe in this team, sometimes we play well, sometimes less. We can win or lose. But we fight in every game, until the end. These guys train well and hard. The referees? I don’t want to talk about the referees. Even for them è difficult, I know. I just ask, every time, the same refereeing criteria. Akele? He played well, but he had also played well against’Olympiacos, è an important player for us”.

Ettore Messina: “Congratulations to Virtus that è managed to win a game in two moments. When it recovered our start that had been quite good. Then when we got even in the second half they held on when we lost Belinelli three times in transition and it takes effort to do that. We had reopened the game, with more coolness we could have changed the inertia. In the fourth quarter we missed too many good shots. I am happy becauseé è it was a game, this è an important sign of commitment. Are there more alternatives to Olimpia and Virtus for the Scudetto? I agree, è it is an open championship. Then you know, already in the past there have been teams that did well in the regular season and then felt pressure in the playoffs to have to win. We are more used to it. Also true that this year keeping up with the pace of the EuroLega and the championship is not easy, we have to see how we all get to May. Forò there’s a good level more and more widespread and many teams that can have their say. Everyone who was out couldn&#39t play. Unfortunately for Shields we are a little worried. He played two games with Denmark, especially the last one when he was worthless. He had a tendon inflammation after Thursday&#39s game. We hope to have him for the next one”.