Bologna were able to leapfrog Lazio in the table thanks to the Lewis Ferguson goal straight after the restart.
Only one point separated these teams going into the Stadio Dall’Ara, as the hosts were unbeaten since the opening weekend and were boosted by the return of Stefan Posch, Sam Beukema and Jhon Lucumi, though Lorenzo De Silvestri, Adama Soumaoro and Oussame El Azzouzi were injured. The Biancocelesti lost Nicolò Casale and again benched not 100 per cent fit Ciro Immobile.
Taty Castellanos thumped the crossbar with a header on Manuel Lazzari’s cross in the opening minutes, though it wouldn’t have counted because the referee blew for a push on his defender.
Alessio Romagnoli’s towering header was straight at Lukasz Skorupski, then Luis Alberto hit the frame of the goal directly from the corner flag, with Castellanos firing the rebound over.
Joshua Zirkzee found himself in threatening situations twice before the break, but unable to keep his finishes on target.
Bologna took the lead within seconds of the restart, as Zirkzee’s through ball from the edge of the box released Lewis Ferguson to sweep in with the inside of the boot. This allowed him to match Denis Law’s record set with Torino in 1961-62 of 10 Serie A goals scored by a Scottish player.
Adam Marusic went off with an ankle issue and Castellanos had penalty appeals rejected as he and Alexis Saelemaekers simultaneously kicked the bouncing ball.
Riccardo Orsolini was brought down on the edge of the box and his resulting free kick was deflected over, while Mateo Guendouzi combined with Felipe Anderson only to see his pull-back intercepted in the six-yard box.
Zirkzee won a standing ovation from the crowd, more for his hard work defensively than his attacking contribution.
Bologna 1-0 Lazio
Ferguson 46 (B)
Player statistic
35' | Pedro |
Lewis Ferguson (Assist: Joshua Zirkzee) |
46' | |||
Lewis Ferguson | 50' | |||
50' | Alessio Romagnoli | |||
Sam Beukema | 56' | |||
65' | Luis Alberto | |||
80' | Mattia Zaccagni | |||
90+6' | Gustav Isaksen |