A dull Lazio settles for a draw in Graz

Sturm Graz – Lazio 0-0 on day three of Europa League Group F

Compared to the blowout suffered in Denmark three weeks ago – when Midtjylland overwhelmed Sarri’s eleven 5-1 – progress was certainly seen at the UPC Arena in Graz, the scene of the third match in Europa League Group F.

To tell the truth, the former Napoli and Juve coach’s team appeared distant relatives of the one admired in the last two league outings, against Cremonese and Spezia. In fact, in Austria it ended 0-0 a match that saw the hosts come closest to victory on several occasions, with the Capitolini only thinking about containing until the 81st minute, when Gazibegovic’s expulsion gave courage to the biancocelesti.

The clearest chance to make the match theirs, however, Lazio had had it in the 79th minute, when the usual Immobile had slipped on the offside line and then outpaced the goalkeeper and slotted into an empty goal. Too bad VAR thwarted everything by detecting the offside position of the Neapolitan bomber.