Lazio’s private friendly against Arezzo offered the kind of early-season chapter coaches value: a fast start, resistance when it was needed, and a clean-sheet win that gave the afternoon a clear shape. At the Mirko Fersini Stadium, Gennaro Gattuso’s side scored at the beginning of each half to beat the newly promoted Serie B club 2-0, despite being without their international players.
The coach and the club
Gattuso began with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Motta was in goal behind Floriani Mussolini, Doekhi, Leite and Pedraza, while Farcomeni and Belahyane formed the midfield pair. Noslin, Serra and Zaccagni played behind Pinamonti.
Arezzo coach Cristian Bucchi selected a 4-3-3, with Seculin starting in goal; Mena, Gilli, Coppolaro and Righetti in defence; Sala, Chierico and Ionita across midfield; and Pattarello, Cerri and Leone leading the attack.
The match immediately underlined Lazio’s sharpness. Just 23 seconds after kick-off, Noslin found Pinamonti, who finished first time to register his first goal in the Lazio shirt. Serra then came close to a second in the fifth minute, but Seculin diverted his effort at the near post behind.
Arezzo responded with a more demanding spell for Motta. The goalkeeper made two quick saves from Gilli and Ionita following a free-kick in the 16th minute. He was called upon again when Pattarello got beyond Leite in the 23rd minute, and later denied the same forward after he had escaped Pedraza’s marking. Motta also stopped a Sala attempt shortly before the interval.
- Pinamonti put Lazio ahead after 23 seconds.
- Motta preserved the advantage through a series of first-half saves.
- Leite headed in Lazio’s second goal 43 seconds after the restart.
The second half began with the same decisiveness. Canali delivered a corner and Leite met it with a header that beat substitute goalkeeper Trombini. The defender’s goal gave Lazio the margin their opening had promised.
Trombini nevertheless prevented the score from widening. He saved a Noslin free-kick and then dealt with close-range follow-up attempts from Pinamonti, Serra and Noslin as the substitutions began to reshape the contest.
Arezzo had one notable opportunity around 15 minutes from time when Lazzari’s misplaced pass back towards Renzetti released Mancuso. From a narrow angle, however, Mancuso could not find a teammate to finish into an unguarded net. At the other end, Illanes appealed for a penalty after a challenge with Leite, but referee Perri allowed play to continue.
Canali’s late shot, collected by Trombini, closed the test. Lazio left the pitch with a 2-0 victory, encouraged by their clinical opening moments and by the individual and collective progress shown in the absence of the internationals.
