Joaquin Correa’s last-gasp equaliser earned Lazio a 1-1 draw against a makeshift AC Milan side in a crucial fixture in the Champions League race.
Rossoneri coach Gennaro Gattuso was without six first-team players through injury, as well as suspended striker Gonzalo Higuain, and lined his team up in a 3-4-3 formation that featured just one recognised centre-back in Cristian Zapata.
However, Franck Kessie’s second-half goal against the run of play looked to have given the Rossoneri an unlikely win until Correa smashed in a leveller four minutes into stoppage time.
Lazio started strongly, with Marco Parolo volleying over from a good position and Milan Badelj shooting wide from outside the box, but it was Milan who carved out the best chance of the half when Hakan Calhanoglu’s shot rattled the post thanks to a fingertip save from Thomas Strakosha.
The hosts then had the ball in the net just before the half-hour mark, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic finishing from close range after playing a one-two with Ciro Immobile, but the Italy striker had strayed offside.
Lazio continued to dominate after the break and had a big penalty shout turned down when Parolo appeared to be pulled down inside the box as he raced to meet a cross, but referee Luca Banti wasn’t interested.
Gigi Donnarumma got down quickly to block a Wallace header as Lazio chased the lead, but it was the Rossoneri who struck first. Davide Calabria raced onto a long ball on the right flank and played a cut-back to Kessie, whose shot took a big deflection off Wallace to beat Strakosha.
Just as it looked to be too late for Lazio, substitute Correa grabbed a stunning late winner as he controlled the ball beautifully on his knee before drilling a low shot through a crowded box and past Donnarumma.
Lazio choke on the big occasion again
Milan were the fifth and final team from last season’s top six that Lazio had yet to face this season. The other four games had all ended in defeat, leading to inevitable question marks over the team’s ability to challenge for the Champions League if they can’t pick up points against their top four rivals.
Sunday’s game was arguably the most important of all, offering Simone Inzaghi’s team a chance to move four points clear in the top four and six clear of rivals Roma, who were beaten by Udinese the day before.
But it was another opportunity squandered by the Aquile, who dominated proceedings at the Olimpico but somehow ended up requiring a last-minute equaliser to take anything from the game. The result keeps Lazio in fourth and earns them their first big-game point of the campaign, but it was an opportunity missed.
One thing is certain, they must make the most of their run of fixtures between now and the winter break, with games against Chievo, Sampdoria, Atalanta, Cagliari, Bologna and Torino giving them a decent platform to return to form quickly.
Gattuso’s gamble pays off
Milan travelled to Rome with six players unavailable through injury and star striker Gonzalo Higuain suspended. The defence was the worst hit area, with three centre-backs – Mateo Musacchio, Alessio Romagnoli and Mattia Caldara – missing out, but Gattuso’s response took everyone by surprise.
The coach fielded a 3-4-3 formation with full-backs Ricardo Rodriguez and Ignazio Abate flanking Cristian Zapata in a back three and Davide Calabria and Fabio Borini taking up positions on the sides of the midfield.
The result was a surprising success, with the visitors happy to cede possession in the absence of their ball-playing midfielders and soak up Lazio pressure with a back five when off the ball.
However, they sensibly attacked down the flanks to try and get around the home side’s back three and found some joy, with their goal coming via this route as Calabria burst down the right to tee up Kessie.
Admittedly, they rode their luck, with Lazio squandering a number of good chances along the way, but the coach deserves credit for a brave selection that was justified, as his side were within a minute of heading home with three points in the bag.
