Top-four contenders SS Lazio broke Genoa’s unbeaten home run in 2025, securing a well-deserved 2-0 victory at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
The win was particularly significant as it marked just their second victory in six Serie A matches.
Genoa, aiming for their first top-half finish in Serie A in ten years, wasted no time making their presence felt, pressuring Lazio early on.
However, Sebastian Otoa’s aggressive approach saw him foul Mattia Zaccagni, leaving him limping. After a five-minute delay due to flare smoke from the crowd, referee Giovanni Ayroldi sent Otoa off, following a VAR review that upheld his decision.
Lazio’s first major opportunity came around the half-hour mark, with Matteo Guendouzi striking a low shot on the rebound that required a spectacular save from Nicola Leali.
However, Leali was left helpless just moments later when a turnover in possession led to Guendouzi sending a through ball to Zaccagni on the left. Some clever footwork and a well-timed pass from Luca Pellegrini allowed Taty Castellanos to finish with a brilliant scissor-kick volley at the far post for the opening goal in the 32nd minute.
The match then returned to a scrappy state for the remainder of the first half and into the early part of the second.
Lazio continued to control proceedings, and Nicolò Rovella missed a golden opportunity to seal the game just before the hour mark.
After Pellegrini won a duel on the left, he squared the ball into the area for Rovella, but the former Genoa midfielder could only direct it wide.
Genoa had a chance to respond as well when Johan Vásquez’s header from Vitinha’s corner seemed destined for the bottom-left corner, but Lazio’s Christos Mandas made a fantastic save to keep his side ahead.
Lazio increased the pressure, and they finally added a second goal in the 68th minute. Pellegrini stole possession and initiated a move that ended with Rovella playing a perfect ball through to Boulaye Dia, who outpaced his defender and slotted the ball into the far corner from a tight angle.
The match took an unusual turn when Dia, the scorer of the second goal, was replaced by Reda Belahyane, who made an instant impact by being sent off just a minute after coming on.
He received a red card after a VAR review upgraded his initial yellow for what appeared to be a kick on Morten Thorsby, marking a forgettable moment for the young Moroccan.
Despite this, Lazio held firm and claimed all three points. Genoa’s wait for a top-10 finish extends into another decade, while Lazio’s victory moves them within a point of Bologna in fourth place, reigniting their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
This win added to their impressive record against bottom-half teams this season (W12, D3, L2).
