Lazio gave away a goal with the last kick of the game, held 1-1 by last year’s beaten Finalists Dnipro.
The Aquile were bumped down to the Europa League after the 3-1 Champions League play-off defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, so this felt very much like a reserve tournament. Stefano Pioli transformed his squad and gave Alessandro Matri his first start, having bagged a brace on his debut as a substitute.
Dnipro reached the Europa League Final last season, beaten by Sevilla, but this game was played behind closed doors due to previous crowd trouble.
Lazio gave away a goal with the last kick of the game, held 1-1 by last year’s beaten Finalists Dnipro.
The Aquile were bumped down to the Europa League after the 3-1 Champions League play-off defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, so this felt very much like a reserve tournament. Stefano Pioli transformed his squad and gave Alessandro Matri his first start, having bagged a brace on his debut as a substitute.
Dnipro reached the Europa League Final last season, beaten by Sevilla, but this game was played behind closed doors due to previous crowd trouble.
Matri went so close to an opener on 16 minutes, his shot palmed on to the upright by Denys Boyko after a smart Ricardo Kishna through ball.
Lazio did eventually break through with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic getting his first goal for the club. It was two 20-year-olds combining, as Kishna’s free kick was nodded in from 10 yards by Milinkovic-Savic.
Felipe Anderson rode two tackles only to hesitate in the area and get closed down, while a Yevhen Seleznyov header was straight at Federico Marchetti.
A smart Milinkovic-Savic flick almost set up Felipe Anderson to score after the restart, but he was crowded out, while Boyko denied a Marco Parolo free kick.
Matri tried to flick the ball over the goalkeeper, but seemed frightened by the imposing figure rushing towards him and didn’t quite get enough power to it.
Santiago Gentiletti did well to charge down a Matheus strike, Marchetti stuck out a leg to deny Anderson Pico and a late Papa Gueye header caused concern.
Just as Lazio thought they had taken home all three points, Dnipro equalised with the last kick of the game. A corner was not cleared, Leo Matos looped it back towards the far post, where Seleznyov nodded in from point-blank range.
Dnipro 1-1 Lazio
Scorers: Milinkovic-Savic 34 (L), Seleznyov 94 (D)
Dnipro: Boyko; Fedetskiy (Ruiz 61), Douglas, Gueye, Leo Matos; Fedorchuk (Danilo 46), Edmar (Bruno Gama 85); Anderson Pico, Rotan, Matheus; Seleznyov
Lazio: Marchetti; Konko, Hoedt, Gentiletti, Radu; Onazi, Parolo; Felipe Anderson, Milinkovic-Savic (Mauri 89), Kishna (Candreva 76); Matri (Keita 76)
Ref: Hunter (NIR)