LAZIO-BOLOGNA 3-0 | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | SERIE A 2024/25

Two of Serie A's most informed teams meet at the Olimpico post-international break, looking to continue their good form on the domestic front. A real buzz surrounding Lazio at the moment, with the Bianco Celesti fans growing in belief that a serious title challenge is on the cards this season. Bologna, however, is a test for Lazio, with Vincenzo Italiano and the Rosso Blu going from strength to strength at the moment, with three wins on the trots in Serie A. The last of those three wins came at the Olimpico just ahead of the international break against Roma, and Bologna won here last season against Lazio. But that was only their solitary win in the past 11 trips south to take on the Bianco Celesti. Time to look at the starting lineups and there is one noticeable player missing for Lazio, with left-back Nuno Tavares sidelined with injury. The Portuguese attacking punch will be missed elsewhere. Pedro comes in on the right wing after scoring some important goals for Lazio in recent matches, whereas after playing against each other in the Nations League for France and Italy, Rovella and Gentusi start side-by-side tonight in what is an unchanged midfield. Time now to look at Bologna. Vincenzo Italiano makes only two changes to the eleven who won here against Roma before the international break. Lukasz Korupski is replaced by Federico Ravaglia in goal. And Jesper Karlsson, who scored his first Serie A goal against the Giallorossi, starts in place of the injured Dannen Doye. Freulein Pobega have cemented their positions in midfield and there will be an interesting duel between former Lazio man, now Bologna captain, Lorenzo de Silvestri with the current Lazio captain, Mattia Zaccani. This is Lazio against Bologna. Matchday 13 of Serie A here at the Olimpico in Rome. Bologna won here against Roma. Well read by Pellegrini. Zaccani rides one challenge and finds a lovely pass to Lazari. Pedro. Rovella wins it back and goes again. Rovella. Romagnoli. Pedro. Castellanos. Vecino. First strike of the game. It comes after a good Lazio move. A long way off target. The Uruguayan taking it on there and did open up for him. As de Silvestri comes forwards. Dinks it into the middle. Vecino. Lukumi makes the mistake and Castellanos went for the spectacular. Good cross by de Silvestri. It's Lazio who exploit it on the break. Ravaglia was off his line. Castellanos went for it and does he. Rovella. Now the strike saved by Ravaglia. The referee does blow for what looked like handball and it was. Pellegrini trying to be a little bit too cute. Odgaard has found Freuler. Always dangerous when Orsolini is on his favourite left foot. And he has a sighted goal capable of scoring from any distance really. Riccardo Orsolini. Lazari. He's got the run on Carlsen at the moment. Manuel Lazari and on he comes again. Castellanos. Trying to just flick it in. I don't think there was much else he could do with it. Orsolini. Freuler. Castro. Odgaard. I haven't seen much of him. Jens Odgaard leaves it to Orsolini. Orsolini. Still. Castro. Fires. But fires wide. Carlsen wanted it. Bologna's best move of the game. Carlsen. Miranda. Run away by Pellegrini. Vecino. Castellanos. Cushions it down nicely. Castellanos on the return pass. Now to Kentusi. Kentusi's through. And it's not quite as clean as he would have liked. Matteo Kentusi. Kentusi did really well. And who was it who was sliding in there? It's Pobega. And Pobega is going to be sent off. A reckless challenge by Tommaso Pobega. And Bologna are going to have to play with a man down for two thirds of the game. Pobega protests his innocence. But you cannot slide in like that on a yellow card. It's needless as well. Castellanos. Freuler. Gets it away. But puts it out for a corner there. Remo Freuler. Vecino takes this one into his stride. Zakani. And it's tackled out of play by Orsolini. Really good tackle by Orsolini. Zakani causing havoc. Well the halftime whistle goes here at the Olimpico. It's been an entertaining first half of football. Matteo Kentusi at the heart of everything for Lazio. Opportunities in attack. And responsible for Tommaso Pobega sending off late in the first half. No goals here in the Italian capital. But Lazio will play the remainder of the game with the numerical superiority. The score at the break. Lazio nil. Bologna nil. Welcome back everyone to the Stadio Olimpico for the second half between Lazio and Bologna. It is goalless at halftime. Between these two sides are a number of substitutions as we restart. Bologna are a man down. And the halftime changes made by Vincenzo Italiano indicate that Bologna are set to sit in and play for a draw in this second half. Both wide players have been substituted. Jesper Karlsson and Riccardo Orsolini to clear signals of danger. Replaced by midfielders Kasper Urbanski and Nicola Moro. Lazio would have changed themselves as Celesio Romagnoli makes way for Samuel Gigot. Good guard, Gigot. Good feet by Samuel Gigot. Now Pellegrini is a player down for Bologna. Lazio play on. Zaccani. Good ball to Vecino. Castellanos. Best chance of the game. It's good play by Vecino and Zaccani. Clever by the Uruguayan to look for Castellanos who's in a really good position actually. Pedro makes way. Rather quiet evening for the former Barcelona man. Matias Vecino is the second player. Lazio about to move to a 4-2-3-1 with Isak Sen playing behind Castellanos. Odegaard. Oh, lovely feet there by Jens Odegaard. Just like Castellanos in the first half, he went for the spectacular there. He's playing with a certain swagger tonight. Nicolo Rovella, which might be as a result of his first minutes in Italy. Sure, that's a great pass to Castellanos. Lukumi with a wild tackle. Bulay Dia puts it in the back of the net, but that was a risky challenge by Lukumi. He went in with both feet there. Bologna with a man down. Giving us offside. Offside confirmed by VAR. Bologna get away with one. Zaccani Dia wins the corner. One of Lazio's biggest aerial threats. Celesio Romagnoli has gone off the pitch though. In comes the corner. And Zico has tucked it into the VAR pose for Lazio. The substitutes, an unlikely source for a goal. But his first for the club gives Lazio that all-important lead against Bologna. And finally, Marco Baroni's side have found a way to break Bologna's resistance. Rovella, now Pellegrini. Passed De Silvestri way too easily. This could be trouble here for Bologna. Zaccani applies the finish with expert accuracy. The skipper's on target. Lazio lead by two. And Zaccani makes it goals in his last three Serie A games. No one closes down the ball carrier. And Zaccani is too good to be given that time and space. Picks the bottom corner. And that'll be his last involvement tonight. Mattia Zaccani with Lung Ciaona coming on in his place. That's an E. Beaten to it by Ravaglia. Straight to Genduzzi, who finds Castellanos. Ravaglia heads it away. Bologna probably thought one of his own teammates had passed it back to him. Can't use your hands if one of your teammates passes the ball. Pellegrini with another glorious shimmy. Isaksen passed Desilvestri. Pellegrini deserves a goal for his performance. Luca Pellegrini really does. Santiago Castro has gone down holding his calf. Santiago Castro is going to make way with home coming on. And that's to get a third. Lung Ciaona, Genduzzi. Lung Ciaona, he'll look to come into his left foot here. Lung Ciaona curls it. But it curls it wide. A little bit of a telling off there from Genduzzi. Lung Ciaona, look where he was. Genduzzi all alone. That's about to send on Nigeria's Dele Bashiru. That's if Castellanos makes way. Provodel. Now Ciaona. Loose touch from Ciaona. Lanzari, Lukumi, Dalinga. Good control. Now Juan Miranda, but a bit too far ahead. They might have some pretty concrete answers on what Lazio can do. And what they can hope for this season. Holm does well. Pellegrini, for the first time, running out of gas. And Holm is going to win the free kick. Ciaona, counterattack is on. And Lazari's through. Lazari pokes it through. Isaksen for the third. Ravaglia brings him down. And it's put away by Dele Bashiru. The Nigerian comes off the bench to score his first Serie A goal. Lovely ball by Ciaona to release Lazari. Isaksen, perhaps caught by Ravaglia. And then Dele Bashiru. No messing around from him. He just puts it in the back of the net. Well, the international break didn't stop the feel-good factor surrounding Lazio. It's a fifth Serie A win in a row for Marco Baroni and the Bianco Celesti. A seventh win in a row in all competitions. As Matias Zaccani and co. look to be going from strength to strength this season. Lazio pass a stern test in the shape of Bologna. And the final score at the Stadio Olimpico is Lazio 3. Bologna 0.