At the club's training ground in Formello, Gennaro Gattuso's first team rallied from behind to beat Lazio U20 in the opening fixture of their summer pre-season.
The new Lazio head coach began with a 4-2-3-1 formation spearheaded by Peter Ratkov , supported by Tijjani Noslin , Boulaye Dia , and club captain Mattia Zaccagni . The young Adrian Przyborek and Bruno Galassi combined in the double pivot, while the backline consisted of Romano Floriani Mussolini , Adam Marusic , Oliver Provstgaard and Luca Pellegrini , with Christos Mandas in goal.
While the seniors unsurprisingly dominated the action, they failed to break the deadlock, as Noslin and Ratkov were guilty of squandering chances. On the contrary, the Primavera made the most out of a rare opportunity to take an unexpected lead in the 42nd minute.
Valerio Battisti picked up Raul Avram on the right flank with a long ball, while Pellegrini failed to give chase. Provstgaard confronted the 17-year-old Romanian who stormed into the box, but his shot deflected off the Danish defender to beat Mandas.
After the break, a host of substitutes took the pitch for both teams, including Gabriele Artistico, who scored twice from the spot. The striker, who returned from a positive loan spell at Spezia, won the first penalty kick himself, after being tripped inside the box by Mandas (who switched teams with Edoardo Motta after the interval). The 23-year-old beat the Greek goalkeeper to level the score.
In the 80th minute, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was brought down in the box while preparing to shoot. Artistico stepped up again to turn the result upside down. Nevertheless, the best highlight of the game ensued in the final minute, when Sana Fernandes cut with his left and shot with the right, beating substitute goalkeeper Nicolo Pannozzo at his near post.
Lazio's next test will take place this Sunday , when they play amateur side Flaminia Civita Castellana at the Mirko Fersini Stadium.
Scorers: 42′ Avram, 55′ Artistico (pen), 81′ Artistico (pen), 89′ Sana Fernandes
Lazio 1st Half (4-2-3-1):Mandas; Floriani Mussolini, Marusic, Provstgaard, Pellegrini; Galassi, Przyborek; Noslin, Dia, Zaccagni; Ratkov. Coach: Gattuso.
Lazio U20 1st Half (4-3-3):Motta; Avram, Ciucci, Pernaselci, Trifelli; Santagostini, Gatto, Battisti; Eone, Sulejmani, Canali. Coach: Punzi.
Lazio 2nd half (4-2-3-1): Motta ( Renzetti 65′); Lazzari, Marusic, Provstgaard (Bordon 70′), Pellegrini (Farcomeni 70′); Belahyane , Taylor; Floriani (Sana Fernandes 70′), Dele-Bashiru, Serra; Artistico. Coach: Gattuso.
Lazio U20 2nd Half (4-3-3): Mandas (Pannozzo 65′); Avram (Ferrante 61′), Ciucci (Iovane 61′), Pernaselci (Touray 65′), Riggi; Mennea (Mecozzi 70′), Montano (Boccardelli 73′), Elena (Zangari 73′). Coach: Punzi.
