Lazio surged ahead in the Europa League with an impressive 4-1 victory against OGC Nice, highlighted by a standout performance from Taty Castellanos, who celebrated his birthday by scoring twice.
The victory came on the heels of Lazio’s 3-0 triumph over Dynamo Kyiv in their previous match, although they were without Tijjani Noslin due to suspension and Samuel Gigot, who remained sidelined by injury.
Nice, coming off a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad, faced their own challenges, missing key players like Melvin Bard, Morgan Sanson, Gaetan Laborde, and Terem Moffi.
The match began with Lazio applying early pressure. Matias Vecino fired a shot wide from the edge of the area, while Adam Marusic’s pass to Pedro was cut off, leading to a corner kick.
Castellanos made his presence felt immediately, connecting with a header that struck the woodwork from 14 yards out.
Vecino’s next effort saw his shot deflected and narrowly loop onto the crossbar, showcasing Lazio’s determination to find the net.
The Aquile finally broke the deadlock when Patric’s header from a corner taken by Pedro was cleared off the line by Jonathan Clauss.
However, Pedro swiftly reacted to the loose ball, bending a magnificent strike into the far top corner from an acute angle, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Nice’s goalkeeper, Christos Mandas, was forced into action, diving to stop a low drive from Badredine Bounani.
Despite this, Lazio doubled their lead with a beautifully crafted goal: Castellanos, expertly set up by Pedro’s through ball and benefitting from a defensive mishap, executed a delicate lob over the advancing goalkeeper to mark his special day in style.
As the first half drew to a close, Nice found a way back into the match. Jeremie Boga, a former Atalanta and Sassuolo player, initiated a swift counterattack, completing a give-and-go with Youssoufa Moukoko inside the box before firing into the far bottom corner, reigniting hopes for the visitors.
The second half commenced amid worsening weather conditions, with heavy rain making the pitch increasingly challenging for both teams.
Pedro had a chance to extend Lazio’s lead but was denied by Mandas after a clever combination with Vecino. However, Lazio would not be denied for long.
Castellanos struck again, receiving a well-placed through ball from Nicolò Rovella. He skillfully cut back to send the defender sliding and unleashed a powerful shot into the far top corner.
Initially flagged offside, the goal was confirmed after VAR review, much to the relief of the Lazio fans.
In a dramatic moment, Nice’s goalkeeper Bulka slid out to intercept another pass from Rovella but made minimal contact with Castellanos.
The referee pointed to the spot, and Mattia Zaccagni confidently stepped up to convert the penalty, extending Lazio’s advantage to 4-1.
As the game progressed, the waterlogged pitch presented its challenges. Luca Pellegrini attempted to catch Mandas off guard with a lob from midfield, while Mandas made a crucial point-blank save against Evann Guessand, recovering quickly to thwart a volley from Moukoko.
In the dying moments of the match, Castellanos sought his hat-trick with an audacious overhead kick, but Dante was quick to intervene, putting the ball out for a corner.
The match concluded with Lazio’s emphatic victory, showcasing their attacking prowess and setting a positive tone for their Europa League campaign.
