Lazio crashed out of the Europa League after a 3-3 draw with Ludogorets on Thursday night, sending the Biancocelesti crashing out 4-3 on aggregate.
Goals from Keita Balde Diao, Brayan Perea and Miroslav Klose were not enough as the Bulgarians responded thanks to Roman Bezjak, Hristo Zlatinski and Juninho Quixada’s late equalizer to send the Italians crash out of the competition.
The away side made amends for their poor first leg performance after only 17 seconds when they levelled the aggregate at 1-1 thanks to a goal from Keita. The young Spaniard burst down the left before beating the goalkeeper thanks in part to a deflection to make the score 1-0.
The youngster nearly double his tally in the 4th minute. Cristian Ledesma won the ball before finding Keita who’s right footed volley went just inches wide of goal.
The stunned home side responded in the 10th minute thanks to Bezjak who found space in the Lazio penalty area but he could only send his half-volley wide of goal.
Lazio thought they had doubled their lead in the 13th minute thanks to Antonio Candreva but his effort was ruled out for an offside flag.
Marcelinho had a great chance for the Bulgarian club only minutes later as his drive from outside the box went only inches wide of goal as Federico Marchetti was left flat footed.
The action continued into the second half with Lazio once again coming close to taking the advantage in the tie. A wonderful bit of play between Lucas Biglia and Candreva opened up space for the Biancocelesti, but the Italian international’s cross for a wide open Perea went just over the Colombian’s head and out of play.
The pressure would pay off in the 54th minute when Lazio hit Ludogorets on the counter. Ogenyi Onazi broke from the midfield before finding Perea who slotted home to give the Italian side the 2-0 advantage on the night and 2-1 on aggregate.
Ludogorets came close to opening up their goalscoring account on the night in the 65th minute when Bezjak’s drive stamped off the post before the rebound fell into the arms of a beaten Marchetti.
The Italian goalkeeper wouldn’t be so lucky in the 68th minute when Bezjak once again found space before his shot was deflected by Giuseppe Biava and into the corner of the goal to make the score 2-1 on the night.
Things were nearly level in the 71st when Marcelinho’s cross found a wide open Virgil Misidjan in the penalty area but Stefan Radu was able to get there in time and clear the ball out for a corner kick.
The pressure would pay off after 78 minutes when Hristo Zlatinski’s effort from 30 metres out was poorly dealt with by Marchetti. As a result the ball bounced past the goalline according to the fourth official to give the Bulgarian’s a shocking equalizer.
However just like their last league match against Sassuolo, the Biancocelesti managed to take the lead late thanks to Klose, who found the back of the net from close range after a Biglia header to give the Aquile the 3-2 advantage and the lead on away goals over the two legs.
There would be no happy ending however as the Bulgarian’s once again levelled the score in the 88th minute. A long ball from the defence found Juninho who beat an onrushing Marchetti to level the score 3-3 on the night and send Lazio crashing out 4-2 on aggregate.
Follow Adriano Boin on Twitter: @Boin44
