Rome (AFP)
Lazio is invited to the Top 16 of the Champions League for the first time in 20 years but the Romans suffered Tuesday to get the point they lacked against Club Bruges (2-2), passed very close to the ten against eleven feat!
The Belgians, who could qualify in case of victory, believed in it until the end thanks to the unexpected equalizer fifteen minutes from the end, on a powerful header from Vanaken (76th).
But their dreams of the round of 16 were shattered on the crossbar of the goalkeeper of Lazio Reina, on the ultimate opportunity of Charles De Ketelaere (90 + 2nd)!
Lazio, with a score of 2-1 acquired since the half hour of play thanks to Immobile on penalty (27th) and eleven against ten since the end of the first half after the second yellow card from Sobol (39th) , yet seemed to have his qualification well in his pocket until the last quarter of an hour crossed multiple chills.
What to regret the balls of 3-1 missed before that by Correa and Immobile.
This forceps qualification is a bit like Simone Inzaghi's team, not necessarily flamboyant but solid, combative: it is also the only undefeated Italian team in the group stage (2 wins, 4 draws).
- Not an easy route -
This qualification brings it back among the sixteen best clubs on the continent for the first time since the 2000/2001 season.
It was then a second phase of groups which had been fatal to the Romans, for which Simone Inzaghi was playing then.
It concludes a course not necessarily simple, complicated by many absences, in particular that of its star striker Ciro Immobile for the trips to Bruges (1-1) and St. Petersburg against Zenit (1-1).
Essential since his return, he still scored a goal that is worth dear, the one that will have put the Laziali back in the match when their legs were a little cut.
Because the "Blauw en zwart" ("blue and black"), in orange Tuesday night, had already returned to the match at that time, thanks to their captain Vormer (15th), quick on a ball released by Reina.
Express equalization after the opening of the Roman score of Joaquin Correa (12th), also on a shot rejected by the goalkeeper Mignolet.
At 2-1, with the logical exclusion of Sobol, for a second yellow card (39th), Lazio seemed to have won the match, but it was without counting on the formidable end of the match of the Belgians, who will try to console themselves in the Europa League.
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