Lazio are set to fall further behind Juventus at the top of the table after conspiring to lose a match they dominated against Chievo Verona.
Lazio vs. Chievo, Final Score 0-1: Chievo sucker-punch sets Lazio further back
Chievo emerged victorious at the Stadio Olimpico, despite Lazio dominating for long periods. Alberto Paloschi’s simple finish gave the flying donkeys a victory built on frustrating their more illustrious opponents.
Paolo Bruno
Lazio left out Hernanes and Stefano Mauri, bringing in Cristian Brocchi and Antonio Candreva. Following Stefano Sorrentino's walk-out in the week to force a move to Palermo, Chievo gave Christian Puggioni only his second start of the season in goal.
The first half quickly settled into a routine of Lazio dominating possession and passing it round the Chievo area, and Chievo breaking up the field when they won the ball.
Despite Lazio's dominance, genuine chances were few and far between as the Flying Donkeys were successful in stifling the creative Lazio players. Antonio Candreva fired over the bar after a good exchange between Sergio Floccari and Senad Lulic.
It's sad to say that the main story of the first half had little to do with the football itself. Alberto Paloschi's audacious attempt from inside the centre circle went narrowly over, and in his attempt to backtrack to cover it, Federico Marchetti inadvertently brought down the entire goal net, meaning a five minute stoppage whilst it was replaced.
The match continued largely in the fashion it had began, with Abdoulay Konko stinging Puggioni's palms from distance and Andre Dias' header from a corner the only notable chances for Lazio, whilst the best Chievo could come up with was a weak Cyril Thereau header following a counter-attack.
After the break, Lazio still looked sluggish and uninspired, still having most of the ball but still unable to create much in the way of meaningful chances. Stefano Mauri and Hernanes were introduced in an attempt to inspire some kind of fire in the Lazio ranks but despite their introductions the biancocelesti were still unable to break through the resilient Chievo defence.
After Lazio’s travails in front of goal, the most predictable thing occurred: Chievo went ahead. Cyril Thereau got away down the left and his pullback from the bye-line was met by Bojan Jokic. His shot cannoned off the crossbar and Alberto Paloschi was on hand to finish from close range, despite the protestations of the Lazio players that he was offside.
Thereafter, Lazio huffed and puffed but couldn’t find an opening, their best chance of the match coming when Sergio Floccari could have pulled the trigger in the penalty area, but passed for a better-positioned Stefano Mauri who then ballooned his effort way over the bar when it looked easier to score.
Thereafter, Chievo were able to hold on and despite intense pressure from Lazio, they never looked particularly dangerous and could find themselves eight points off the top of the table should Juventus win later on.
Lazio: Marchetti; Konko, Radu (Kozak 74), Biava, Dias; Ledesma, Brocchi (Mauri 46), Gonzalez (Hernanes 62), Candreva, Lulic; Floccari
Chievo: Puggioni; Sardo (Vacek 30), Jokic, Cesar, Dainelli, Andreolli; Rigoni, Cofie, Guana (Seymour 68); Thereau, Paloschi (Stoian 74)
Goals: Paloschi 61 (C)
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