Marco Parolo and Joaquin Correa allowed Lazio to beat last season’s Europa League Finalists Olympique Marseille 2-1 and book their place in the next round.
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Marco Parolo and Joaquin Correa allowed Lazio to beat last season’s Europa League Finalists Olympique Marseille 2-1 and book their place in the next round.
Follow all the action as it happens from this game and Betis v Milan on the LIVEBLOG.
The Aquile followed up on the 3-1 win at the Stade Velodrome, as last season’s Europa League finalists Marseille have managed just one point from the opening four group games. Because Apollon Limassol lost 3-2 to Eintracht Frankfurt, the Italians and Germans have mathematically
It was a return to the Olimpico for ex-Roma men Kevin Strootman and Rudi Garcia, who adapted to a 3-4-3 system. The hosts missed Lucas Leiva, Milan Badelj and Senad Lulic, but Joaquin Correa returned from suspension. Felipe Caicedo had been due to start, but pulled out at the last minute with a muscular problem.
Visiting supporters were banned after repeated instances of crowd trouble, rioting before, during and after the first leg game.
The French side had a huge chance after six minutes, as a throw-in was knocked on twice for Hiroki Sakai unmarked six yards out, but Thomas Strakosha flung himself at the wing-back’s feet to smother.
Correa sprinted into the box and went down under a nudge in the back from Luiz Gustavo, but the referee waved play on.
Clinton Njie tested Strakosha at the near post and the goalkeeper beat away a Thauvin snapshot from outside the box.
However, Lazio broke through with the last kick of the half. Ciro Immobile flicked a cross high up into the air, Parolo read its trajectory better than Caleta-Car and his header from 12 yards bounced in off the inside of the far post.
The hosts doubled their lead with a well-worked move after the restart. It was another splendid Immobile assist, completing a give-and-go with Correa by nutmegging Adil Rami and the Argentine stroked into the far bottom corner off the inside of his right boot.
However, Lazio got complacent and Parolo’s pass was intercepted, allowing Sanson’s slide-rule pass to send Thauvin clear on goal, punishing Strakosha one-on-one.
It means Lazio are only the fourth side to score 100 goals in the Europa League, group stage to Final, after Villarreal, RB Salzburg and Athletic Bilbao.
Immobile’s angled drive thumped the upright, but he’d been flagged offside anyway, then Strakosha’s weak punch allowed Strootman to fire a scorcher deflected just wide.
Pele smothered an Immobile header on the ground, then the goalkeeper’s gloves were stung by the Lazio centre-forward from distance.
There was another Pele save after substitute Sergej Milinkovic-Savic combined with Correa to go clear, but the final Strakosha save deep into stoppages saw him stick out a leg to somehow parry Njie's volley at the back post.
Lazio 2-1 Marseille
Parolo 45 (L), Correa 55 (L), Thauvin 60 (M)
Lazio: Strakosha; Luiz Felipe, Acerbi, Wallace (Bastos 57); Marusic, Parolo, Cataldi, Berisha (Milinkovic-Savic 69), Durmisi; Correa (Luis Alberto 82); Immobile
Marseille: Pele; Rami (Sarr 79), Luiz Gustavo, Caleta-Car; Sakai, Lopez, Strootman, Sanson (Payet 69), Ocampos; Thauvin (Mitroglou 82), Njie, Lopez
Ref: Bezborodov (RUS)