Lazio 2-1 Villarreal: Zarate & Rocchi Show Wins It For 10-Man Aquile

Lazio team (Grazia Neri)

Lazio ended the game against Villarreal in the Europa League with 10 men, and have super substitute Tommaso Rocchi to thank for the win. Villarreal dominated the match for 70 minutes. Mauro Zarate gave the Italians the lead before Sebastian Eguren equalised. The Spanish side had their chances, but then took their foot off the gas once the home side were a man down. This allowed Lazio plenty of freedom, and it was Rocchi who stole the show with a well taken late winner.

Robert Pires fired the first shot of the evening following Marcos Senna's through ball, as Villarreal bombed forward after Lazio kicked off the encounter. The former Arsenal man took a touch and steadied himself before pulling the trigger. However the ball took a deflection off Cribari and flew wide for a corner kick, but the subsequent set piece was wasted.

Villarreal were in no mood to play for a draw and this was evident from the way they attacked Lazio. Eguren's slide-rule pass to Nilmar left the Italian defence flat-footed and broken. The Brazilian blitzed through unchallenged, but he couldn't find the right finish to give his side the lead as he fired wide. Davide Ballardini's men continued to struggle. They hardly got into the game, and didn't create any chances worthy of mention during the early stages.

The Spanish side enjoyed the lion's share of possession and continued to attack in numbers. Eguren tested Bizzarri to see if he was awake on the night. The midfielder blasted a stinging shot which the 'keeper tipped over the bar. Lazio tried to respond as Aleksandar Kolarov's cross field pass found Pasquale Foggia. The Italian cut inside on his left and fired towards goal, but his effort was poor and did no damage. Down at the other end, the away side continued their bright start with Senna's right-foot drive testing the acrobatics of Bizzarri once again.

Despite their poor start to the game, it was the Biancocelesti who took the lead. A quick break from Ousmane Dabo released Julio Cruz. The former Inter man checked inside Ivan Marcano and held the ball up before spotting Zarate who came in on the over-lap. The hitman chipped the ball over Diego Lopez and into the back of the net to edge his side ahead. Minutes later Zarate should have had another as he twisted and turned his way past Capdevila, but fired wide.

Villarreal chased the game and continued to find it easy when going forward. But, Ernesto Valverde's side were poor in the final third. A combination of poor finishing and lack of ruthlessness saw them struggle to put the ball where it needed to be placed as they failed to deliver a goal.

Villarreal's dominance finally paid off. Patient build up play finally unlocked the Aquile defence. Pires saw Capdevila's run on the left. The Spaniard was left free to pick out Eguren with a pin-point cross, and the midfielder climbed above Sanchez Cribari to nod home. It was nothing more than they deserved. The goal had been a long time coming for Valverde's side.

Lazio came out stronger side in the second half, and should have been up within minutes of the restart. Francelino Matuzalem picked out Foggia's run in between Angel and Gonzalo Rodriguez, but the Italian winger headed wide from the six yard box. Giuseppe Rossi, who had been quiet for most of the night, suddenly leapt into action. He played a nice one-two pass with Pires, but his left foot strike from close range hit the side netting.

Down at the other end, Zarate was unlucky not to have edged his side in front. The hitman ran 70 yards with the ball following a quick break, he beat Angel as he waltzed into the box, but his low finish to towards the left post came back off the upright. No-one was there to tap home the rebound.

The home side were then dealt a major blow as Matuzalem was sent off after picking up his second yellow card. The referee thought the Brazilian midfielder dived, but replays showed it should have been a penalty to Lazio after Marcano took his legs out in the box.

Minutes later, the Aquilotti should have gone in front when Zarate found Cruz on the back post, but the hitman headed the ball wide from close range. It was easier to score. Baronio then found Tommaso Rocchi free. The former Empoli man ran through, but he dragged his left-foot effort wide of the mark when he should have won the game for his side.

The hitman then did win the points at the death when he latched onto Stefano Mauri's super cross from the left to sink the Yellow Submarine on the banks of the river Tiber.

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com

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