Genoa defeated Lazio 1-0 in Serie A action at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Despite controlling the play for large portions of the match, the Biancocelesti were sunk by a late Mauricio Pinilla header to give the home side their first win of the season.
Did we get our ratings right? Have your say in the comments below.
Genoa
Matia Perin – 7 – Adequate
Having made several saves in the first half, Perin kept a well deserved cleansheet. At the ready and consistently controlling the back, he was the anchor of the match for Genoa.
Luca Antonini – 6.5 – Tenacious
With a few attempts on goal under his belt, the veteran defender tried to open up the scoring early on in the match. Unfortunately he was unable to hit his mark, but that did not stop his attempts.
Sebastian De Maio – 5.5 – Bit-of-a-Brute
De Maio’s lack of concentration and poorly timed plays resulted in one yellow card, several fouls, and questionable behaviour from the centre back.
Nicolas Burdisso – 5.5 – BORED-isso
Other than being called for a handball in the first half, the Argentine’s contributions to the match were lacking at best. Managed to do a satisfactory job shutting down Lazio’s attack.
Luca Antonelli – 6 – Efficient
Like the majority of Genoa’s defense, Antonelli played his role with the type of efficiency that stopped Lazio from taking advantage, but without the flair to make any of those plays memorable. Got the job done.
Edenilson – 6 – Competent
Edenilson was competent in being able to keep the midfield somewhat in control, moving the ball forward and being able to fall back on the attack.
Stefano Sturaro – 6.5 – Early Bird
With an early assist on an attempt made on goal, Sturaro started the match strong. However, his early rush of plays seemed to slow down as the game progressed and he faded.
Tomas Rincon – 7 – Scoundrel
Rincon’s positives were equally matched by his negatives. He earned a yellow card for a handball at the start of the second half, but his attempts to move the ball forward and play through to his forwards made up for his sins.
Diego Perotti – 7.5 – Game Changer
While playing consistently well through the entire match, Perotti’s moment came in the 87th minute when his header assist lead to the only goal of the game.
Alessandro Matri – 6 – Lost Kitten
Matri looked slightly lost and out of place on the pitch. He was called for a handball in the first half, and also assisted in a failed goal opportunity, but those were his only real contributions the match.
Juraj Kucka – 6 – Off-Game
The 27 year old Slovakian was off his game today. Despite contributing to a few attempts on goal, his sloppy handball showed his lack of concentration.
Substitutions
Mauricio Pinilla – 7.5 – Heads above the Rest (68’)
The second half substitute was responsible for the game winning goal, putting Genoa up 1 – 0 thanks to Perotti’s assist.
Andrea Bertolacci – 6.5 – Pace Maker (60′)
A fresh pair of legs that helped move the ball. He contributed to some well-timed plays and changed the pace for Genoa, giving the home team a new spurt of energy in the second half.
Maxime Lestienne – 6.5 – The [not-so-] Straight Shooter (56′)
Was a much needed substitution in the second half to change the pace of the game. While none of Lestienne’s shots on goal were on-target, he did open up Genoa’s shooting and pressured Lazio’s defense.
Lazio
Etrit Berisha – 6.5 – Dependable
Though Genoa finally managed to find the back of the net in the dying minutes of the match, Berisha did his best to give the Biancocelesti a chance of winning.
Stefan de Vrij – 4 – Red Herring
Frustration was obvious for the Dutchman as he earned two yellow cards within 15 minutes, to be sent off just moments before Genoa’s winner. The second was the result of a handball, showcasing de Vrij’s lack of concentration on the afternoon.
Edson Braafheid – 5.5 – Suitable
Blink and you would have missed him. Braafheid played in the shadows for Lazio, only really being noticed when he committed questionable fouls and assisted with a non-goal in the first half.
Dusan Basta – 5 – Basta, indeed
Basta in Italian means “stop,” which is exactly what the 30 year old Serbian had to do early in the second half as he exited through injury after playing a sluggish first half.
Santiago Gentiletti – 6.5 – Reliable
Gentiletti seemed to be the most reliable player on the pitch for Lazio, as he continuously slowed down the Genoa attack. Subbed off due to injury as well.
Marco Parolo – 6.5 – Supplier
Started off strong for Lazio but faded as the match progressed. With several early attempts on goal, the 29 year old tested Genoa’s defense. However, he would not have the same luck in the second half.
Senad Lulic – 6.5 – The Could Have Been Hero
An early attempt on goal by the Bosnian winger, rattled Genoa in the opening minutes of the match. Had the shot not been saved by Matia Perin, the score line may have been very different.
Lucas Biglia – 5.5 – The Could Have Been Game Changer
Crucial in stopping Genoa’s attack and his absence was noticeable in the second half after being replaced by Ledesma.
Felipe Anderson – 6 – Split Personalities
The Brazilian had a fantastic first half, with several assists on goal and brilliant moments of attack. However, the second half left him lethargic and almost unrecognizable compared to the first.
Filip Djordjevic – 6 – Satisfactory
The Serbian striker is slowly finding his place on Lazio. It may take a few more matches, but Djordjevic will eventually find his stride as he was only stopped by the bar in the first half.
Antonio Candreva – 6 – Missing in Action
Candreva has been a key player for Lazio, but was MIA for this match. While he was not particularly bad, he did not show the leadership and ball movement that has become accustomed to his play.
Substitutions
Cristian Ledesma – 5.5 – A Subpar Substitution (45′)
Entering the match just before the half-time whistle, Ledesma was not the appropriate replacement for the injured Lucas Biglia that Lazio had hoped for. Seemed to cause more problems than not.
Abdoulay Konko – 4.5 – Offside Offense (46′)
Coming in as a substitution for an injured Dusan Basta, Konko contributed very little to match, except for being caught offside in the second half.
Lorik Cana – 4.5 – Last Man In (69′)
The final substitution for Lazio, Cana seemed overwhelmed in his defensive position. The Albanian seemed out of place and lost on the pitch, and the disorganization helped contributed to Genoa’s game winning goal.
