Lazio earned a more than creditable 1-1 draw away to Sparta Prague, as Antonio Candreva also hit the bar.
See how the action unfolded on our Liveblog.
Lazio earned a more than creditable 1-1 draw away to Sparta Prague, as Antonio Candreva also hit the bar.
See how the action unfolded on our Liveblog.
The only remaining Italian representatives in the Europa League went into this first leg in the Round of 16 missing injured Filip Djordjevic, Stefano Mauri, Ricardo Kishna, Stefan de Vrij and Santiago Gentiletti. Sparta had won their last nine in all competition and were unbeaten in 10 Europa League games this season.
The Aquile got off to a very aggressive start, as Keita Balde Diao’s back-heel flick was touched on for Marco Parolo, only for the shot to be charged down at the back post. On the resulting corner, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header glanced wide.
Lazio were distracted in defence and almost allowed Sparta top scorer David Lafata clear on goal from a throw-in, but his shot flashed across the face of goal.
Moments later the hosts did take the lead, as Martin Frydek controlled a Lafata assist with his left foot and smacked the fierce right-foot half-volley under the bar from a tight angle.
Play was halted for a few seconds and a statement read out on the tannoy system after Lazio fans aimed racist chants at Sparta player Costa. Unfortunately it’s not the first time this season that the Biancocelesti have been blighted by this problem.
Keita’s back-heel flick nutmegged an opponent, but Alessandro Matri wasn’t strong enough in the box, while Antonio Candreva blasted over and Federico Marchetti smothered a Ladislav Krejci shot.
Candreva almost scored the goal of the season with an exceptional right-foot volley practically from the by-line that goalkeeper David Bicik had to flap out from under the bar. It seemed impossible to score from there.
On the resulting corner, Bicik did well to parry Wesley Hoedt’s header from close range, but could do nothing as Marco Parolo came sliding in on the rebound. It ended a 303-minute European clean sheet for Sparta, the first goal they’d conceded at home in the tournament since November.
Milan Bisevac risked an own goal with his shinned clearance, but Marchetti was alert. Dusan Basta replaced Abdoulay Konko after the restart, as he had a muscular problem following his 19th consecutive start.
Senad Lulic replaced Matri, moving Keita to the centre-forward position. Candreva could not have come closer to an extraordinary goal on 58 minutes, as he let the ball bounce to smack the half-volley from a tight angle and it bounced off the crossbar with a terrific thwack.
Lazio were also unlucky when losing Basta to an injury just 20 minutes after he had come on, so Mauricio had to adapt as a right-back.
Keita’s angled drive was blocked, while Marchetti did well to block a Lucas Marecek daisy-cutter with Frydek ready to tap in. The visitors piled on pressure in the second half, so Sparta struggled to get out of their own half, despite players like Bisevac and Stefan Radu limping heavily towards the end.
Sparta Prague 1-1 Lazio
Scorers: Frydek 13 (S), Parolo 38 (L)
Sparta Prague: Bicik; Zahustel, Brabec, Holek, Costa; Frydek, Vacha, Maracek; Dockal (Fatai 59), Lafata (Julis 62), Krejci
Lazio: Marchetti; Konko (Basta 46) (Mauricio 66), Bisevac, Hoedt, Radu; Milinkovic-Savic, Biglia, Parolo; Candreva, Matri (Lulic 55), Keita
Ref: Mallenco (SPA)