Lazio outlast Roma to earn thrilling 3-2 win in Derby della Capitale
Rome, Sept 26, 2021 (AFP) - Lazio came out on top of an eventful Rome derby on Sunday, winning 3-2 to turn around a poor recent run of results and inflict a second league defeat of the season on Jose Mourinho.
Goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Pedro and Felipe Anderson gave Lazio a tight win over their local rivals at a raucous Stadio Olimpico which saw two teams attack each other for 90 minutes.
Maurizio Sarri's side were winless in three league matches heading into the weekend but now sit sixth on 11 points, five behind Serie A leaders AC Milan and just one behind fourth-placed Roma, who twice pulled goals back through Roger Ibanez and Jordan Veretout.
"We needed a derby win to help us move forward and take on the coming matches," said Milinkovic-Savic.
"I like scoring in the derby - it's already the third time that I've done it - and I hope to keep on doing it."
Lazio got off to a rapid start in front of their home fans, Milinkovic-Savic racing onto Anderson's cross from deep and just beating Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio to the ball to put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute.
Nine minutes later, Lazio doubled their lead through former Roma man Pedro, who slotted home a brilliant first-time finish from the edge of the area following a lightning break led by Ciro Immobile while Roma players pleaded for a penalty for what they saw was a foul on Nicolo Zaniolo from Elseid Hysaj.
Roma were on the ropes but they responded four minutes before the break through Ibanez, who flicked home a perfect header from Veretout's corner to bring the away side back into the game.
Mourinho's team now had their tails up and started the second half strongly, but got caught on the break again for Lazio's third, with Immobile doing brilliantly first to send both Gianluca Mancini and Patricio packing and then roll in Anderson for the decisive finish.
Veretout pulled Roma to within one again in the 69th minute following what looked a very soft penalty was awarded for a foul on Zaniolo, who four minutes later almost levelled the scores following a superb run and shot saved by Pepe Reina, but they couldn't get the point Mourinho felt they deserved.
"The referee and VAR weren't up to the standards of a match of this level. From 2-0 it could have been 1-1, the referee made a mistake on the field and VAR made a mistake ... they all made a mistake," Mourinho said to DAZN
"My team was the better one ... the second and third goals are counter attacks and the second goal is also one in which the team was waiting for a penalty. We played, we tried, we dominated."