First half goals from Giuseppe Biava and Miroslav Klose put the Eagles ahead, before substitute Ishak Belfodil pulled one back for the Ducali, to set up a tense finale. The win keeps Lazio hot on the heels of the Champions League places, while Parma stay eighth.
Lazio vs Parma, Final Score 2-1: Eagles stay hot on the trail for European places
Lazio survived a second half comeback to beat plucky Parma 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Albano Bizzarri deputised for Federico Marchetti between the sticks, after the Lazio number one suffered a recurrence of a leg muscle injury. Parma welcomed Marco Parolo back from suspension, but missed Daniele Galloppa.
Antonio Candreva fizzed a long range effort wide on six minutes, while Michael Ciani muscled Jonathan Biabiany off the ball in the box, after the Parma frontman had initially put the ball through the Frenchman's legs.
Biava was booked after Biabiany backheeled the ball onto his arm, before opening the scoring on 25 minutes. Candreva's corner was met by both Ciani and Massimo Gobbi, and as the two tussled, the ball fell to Biava, who stabbed it in off the bar.
Four minutes later, Klose appeared to use his hand as he headed clear from Parolo in the box, but play was waved on. The German doubled Lazio's lead on 34 minutes. Both Alvaro Gonzalez and Stefano Mauri combined with a slide-rule pass to send Klose clear and the veteran coolly slotted the ball under Antonio Mirante's legs.
Parma had chances before the break. Bizzarri had to run off his line to smother the ball from Nicola Sansone. Biabiany blazed over from distance and Gabriel Paletta had two bites at the cherry during a scramble in the box, with the ball eventually ricocheting clear. Parolo had a shot blocked by the Lazio defence and Gobbi bent a poor shot from outside the box over the bar.
Two minutes before the break, Klose was withdrawn with a minor injury. Biava also went off at half-time as a precautionary method.
Candreva could have sealed the game on 49 minutes, but Mirante saved the winger’s powerful strike to keep Parma afloat. Amauri, who had been anonymous for most of the game was replaced by Belfodil.
The visitors were handed a lifeline midway through the second half. Sansone caused problems with a mazy run into the box and was only stopped by Mauri’s trip.
Bizzarri managed to parry Belfodil’s spot kick, but the ball zipped into the air and the substitute was first to react to sweep in the rebound.
Belfodil almost equalised on 69 minutes. Gobbi got to the by-line and crossed, but Bizzarri saved a point blank toe poke to preserve the hosts’ slender lead.
Lazio: Bizzarri; Cavanda, Biava, (Cana 46) Ciani, Radu; Ledesma; Candreva, Hernanes (Lulic 74) Gonzalez, Mauri; Klose (Kozak 43)
Parma: Mirante; Benalouane, (Pabon 88) Zaccardo, Paletta, Gobbi; Marchionni, Musacci, (Ninis 75) Parolo; Biabiany, Amauri, (Belfodil 59) Sansone
Goals: Biava 25 (L) Klose 34 (L) Belfodil 66 (P)
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