Adam Marusic fired Lazio to late victory over Juventus together with his stoppage-time header in Saturday’s 1-0 win in Rome, as a 3-0 residence humbling by the hands of Atalanta left Napoli’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
Marusic thumped residence Matteo Guendouzi’s excellent inswinging cross within the third minute of added time on the Stadio Olimpico to make sure victory in Igor Tudor’s first match as Lazio coach.
The Montenegro defender’s first purpose of the season pushed Lazio as much as seventh, a degree and a spot above Napoli.
Lazio are eight factors away from the final Champions League spot at the moment held by fourth-placed Bologna forward of their Easter Monday fixture with Salernitana.
“You can’t wish for a better start. I’m happy for the boys as they couldn’t have played any better given the time we had together,” mentioned Tudor to DAZN.
Juve, in third, are caught firmly in a rut after defeat within the Italian capital left them 4 matches with out a win and sliding again in the direction of a battle for a Champions League spot.
Massimiliano Allegri’s aspect have picked up simply seven factors from their final 9 video games and are eight factors forward of fifth-placed Roma who face Lecce on Monday.
“We have to believe that we’ll achieve our goal because we have a few points on the other teams,” mentioned Allegri to DAZN.
“You can’t concede goals like the one we did with 10 seconds remaining. We’re as annoyed by the way we lost the game as much as we are at losing it.”
Juve have been with out suspended Dusan Vlahovic and fellow attackers Arkadiusz Milik and Filip Kostic, and lacked inspiration all through a scrappy contest in Rome.
Lazio made life powerful for Juve in Tudor’s debut within the dugout after taking on from Maurizio Sarri as everlasting boss on the Roman outfit.
And he was submerged in hugs on the touchline when Marusic determined the competition to offer him the right begin to life at Lazio.
Tudor, who gained Serie A and B titles over 9 years as a Juventus participant, will probably be inspired by the strong show placed on by his workforce.
The former Croatia defender has a tricky opening week at Lazio as his aspect face Juve once more on Tuesday, in Turin for the primary leg of their Italian Cup semi-final, earlier than the Rome derby subsequent weekend.
– Napoli down in dumps –
Napoli are manner behind Bologna after first-half objectives from Aleksei Miranchuk and Gianluca Scamacca and a late Teun Koopmeiners strike gave Atalanta a convincing win in Naples.
Francesco Calzona’s aspect have nearly no likelihood of a spot in subsequent season’s revamped Champions League except Italy get an additional spot as they’re six factors off Roma.
“We’re not mathematically out of it but the chances of us getting there are very slim,” mentioned Calzona after his first league defeat as Napoli coach.
Both Roma and Bologna must journey south for matches on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona earlier than the top of the marketing campaign, whereas Atalanta lurk a degree behind Roma with a sport in hand.
Scamacca’s low strike was his first within the league because the finish of January however his third in 4 matches after netting in each legs of Atalanta’s Europa League win over Sporting Lisbon.
The 25-year-old is hoping for a spot in Italy’s Euro 2024 squad after lacking out on the European champions’ most up-to-date friendlies.
“(Italy coach Luciano Spalletti) can always count on me because I always give my best… I’m more consistent now and I’m very happy, above all for Atalanta who showed faith in me,” mentioned Scamacca.
Napoli’s gamers took the knee in assist of their teammate Juan Jesus through the pre-match taking part in of the Serie A anthem whereas followers shouted “no to racism” from the stands.
Jesus and Napoli have been shocked by the Italian Football Federation’s disciplinary tribunal clearing Inter Milan defender Francesco Acerbi of racially abusing Jesus in a sport two weeks in the past for lack of proof.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
