Serie A: Lazio suffer dent to European hopes with frustrating home defeat to struggling Udinese

Lazio suffered a dent to their hopes of European qualification after they were beaten 2-1 at home to struggling 10-man Udinese in Serie A.

Udinese came into the match with just one win in their last nine matches, which came on the road against Juventus to hand the Old Lady successive defeats.

Lorenzo Lucca and Oier Zarraga gave the visitors the lead twice in four minutes at the start of the second half, while Lazio could only find the target through Lautaro Gianetti’s own goal to initially level matters.

Lazio started brightly and had a few chances to take the lead in the first half, coming close to an opener inside four minutes when Mattia Zaccagni struck the foot of the post with a long-range effort.

Luis Alberto threatened for the hosts minutes later, but was unable to test Maduka Okoye as he fizzed a low strike past the Nigerian’s right post.

Ciro Immobile was presented with a big chance when he was teed up by Felipe Anderson in the box, but the captain blazed his first-time effort over the bar.

With nearly 30 minutes on the clock, Anderson clipped a perfectly weighted cross into the path of Zaccagni who could not convert from five yards out, guiding the ball over the bar with his knee.

Udinese managed to weather the storm early on, and then had a chance of their own when Sandi Lovric’s fierce volley was beaten away by Ivan Provedel.

The Lazio goalkeeper was quickly forced into another save to deny Hassane Kamara’s close-range half-volley with his feet at the near post, before tipping over an effort from a corner.

After a strong end to the first half for Udinese, Lucca broke the deadlock when he steered in Kamara's attempted shot which he had drilled across the face of goal.

Lazio were quickly level when Giannetti conceded an own goal, but Udinese restored their lead just as quickly with an excellent finish from Zarraga on the edge of the box, who steered the ball into the bottom right corner.

Nehuen Perez was sent off late on for a second booking, but Udinese were able to hang on for a much-needed three points as they moved further clear of the relegation zone.

Defeat for Lazio means they are seven points adrift of Atalanta, who currently occupy the UEFA Europa Conference League qualification spot.

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