Lazio Boost Top-Four Hopes by Ending Genoa’s Undefeated Home Run

Top-four contenders SS Lazio broke Genoa’s unbeaten home streak in 2025 at six matches, claiming a well-earned 2-0 victory at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. It was a much-needed win for Lazio, marking just their second success in the last six Serie A fixtures.

With Genoa aiming for their first top-half finish in Serie A in ten years, it came as no shock that they pressed Lazio aggressively from the outset.

Unfortunately for Sebastian Otoa, his eagerness to influence the match resulted in him taking down Mattia Zaccagni with a foul that left the Lazio player limping.

After a five-minute delay caused by flare smoke from the stands, referee Giovanni Ayroldi brandished a red card to Otoa, a decision which was upheld following a VAR review.

It was close to the half-hour mark when Lazio carved out their first significant opportunity. Matteo Guendouzi unleashed a low shot from the rebound that forced an exceptional save from Nicola Leali.

However, he was powerless to prevent the opening goal in the 32nd minute, as a lapse in possession allowed Guendouzi to play a through ball to Zaccagni on the left. Some clever footwork and a quick exchange with Luca Pellegrini set up the latter to deliver the ball to the far post, where Taty Castellanos executed a magnificent scissor-kick volley.

That moment of brilliance aside, the game returned to a scrappy affair for the rest of the first half and the early stages of the second.

Lazio maintained control, and Nicolò Rovella had a glorious chance to cement the win just before the hour. Following a duel where Vitinha lost possession on the left, Pellegrini squared the ball into the area for Rovella, but the former Genoa player could only direct it wide.

Genoa had their opportunities as well, nearly punishing Lazio when Christos Mandas pulled off a stunning save from a Johan Vásquez header, which looked destined for the bottom left corner from a Vitinha corner.

Lazio ramped up their intensity yet again and finally secured a second goal midway through the second half.

Pellegrini once again regained possession, igniting a move that concluded with Rovella threading the ball through to Boulaye Dia, who outpaced his marker and calmly slotted it into the far corner from an angle.

The match took a bizarre turn thereafter, as goalscorer Dia was substituted for Reda Belahyane, who barely lasted a minute before being sent off for what appeared to be a kick on Morten Thorsby. An initial yellow card was upgraded to a red by VAR, ensuring a quick and forgettable debut for the young Moroccan.

Ultimately, the contest was decided, and based on this evidence, Genoa’s quest for a top-10 finish will stretch into a second decade.

On the other hand, Lazio can once again set their sights on UEFA Champions League qualification, closing in on Bologna in fourth place by just one point after another solid addition to their win rate against bottom-half opponents this season (W12, D3, L2).