Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave Lazio a more than creditable 1-1 first leg draw away to Galatasaray in the Europa League.
Keita Balde Diao sat out a ban with Dusan Basta, Santiago Gentiletti, Ricardo Kishna and Stefan de Vrij injured. Galatasaray dropped down from the Champions League and their only absentee was Hamit Altintop. Ex-Inter striker Lukas Podolski was upfront with support from Wesley Sneijder.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave Lazio a more than creditable 1-1 first leg draw away to Galatasaray in the Europa League.
Keita Balde Diao sat out a ban with Dusan Basta, Santiago Gentiletti, Ricardo Kishna and Stefan de Vrij injured. Galatasaray dropped down from the Champions League and their only absentee was Hamit Altintop. Ex-Inter striker Lukas Podolski was upfront with support from Wesley Sneijder.
It was a strong start from the visitors, as ex-Lazio goalkeeper Nando Muslera had to smother a Felipe Anderson strike and Marco Parolo effort with a series of early corners.
However, Galatasaray broke the deadlock with their first chance of the game. Ryan Donk sprung the offside trap on a smart Selcuk Inan ball over the top and rolled across for Sabri Sarioglu to turn in from 10 yards.
Moments later Federico Marchetti’s gloves were stung by a Sneijder scorcher, while Alessandro Matri had penalty appeals for a decisive Jason Denayer sliding tackle as he went clear on goal.
Lazio did equalise in Istanbul when Lucas Biglia curled in a free kick from the outside edge of the box for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s powerful header from six yards, as Muslera couldn’t keep it out.
They threatened to turn it around in a similar situation, Muslera making a strong save on Mauricio’s header from a Biglia corner.
Muslera also got down to palm a Parolo snapshot round the far post, but Podolski had penalty appeals for an Abdoullay Konko shove in the back as he tried to reach a dangerous cross.
The second half was played at a much slower tempo, as the hosts tried to clam up and go on the counter. Sneijder’s free kick was straight into the wall and Matri wasted a golden opportunity after riding a tackle down the left, attempting something that was neither a shot nor a cross for Milinkovic-Savic.
Marchetti got down to block a Donk daisy-cutter on the counter, while Milinkovic-Savic’s header glanced just wide of the far post.
Antonio Candreva’s fierce left-footer was plucked out from under the bar by alert Muslera, then Milinkovic-Savic didn’t put enough power on to his shot on the rebound from 10 yards.
Galatasaray had a great opportunity to win it in the final minute, but Umut Bulut steered his diving header just wide after getting in front of Mauricio to meet a Denayer cross from the right.
Galatasaray 1-1 Lazio
Scorers: Sabri Sarioglu 12 (G), Milinkovic-Savic 21 (L)
Galatasaray: Muslera; Denayer, Koray Gunter, Hakan Balta, Carole (Olcan Adin 71); Donk, Chedjou; Sabri Sarioglu (Umut Bulut 78), Selcuk Inan, Sneijder (Yasin Oztekin 89); Podolski
Lazio: Marchetti; Konko, Mauricio, Hoedt, Radu; Milinkovic-Savic, Biglia, Parolo; Felipe Anderson (Candreva 58), Matri (Klose 69), Lulic (Mauri 90)
Ref: Oliver (ENG)