Lazio travelled to Turkey tonight for a Europa League clash with Trabzonspor on the Black Sea border, missing a string of first-team regulars through injury including Miroslav Klose.
Trabzonspor took full advantage to build a commanding lead at the interval, with Yusuf Erdogan, Adrian Mierzejewski and Paulo Henrique all on target for the hosts, either side of Ogenyi Onazi's strike for the visitors.
Lazio continued to press forward and late in the second half managed to snatch a dramatic point, with substitute Sergio Floccari scoring twice in as many minutes.
Look back at a six-goal thriller in Group J with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Good evening European football fans. Thanks for joining Sports Mole ahead of what promises to be another action-packed Thursday night marathon in the Europa League, with our focus here on an intriguing Group J clash between Lazio and Trabzonspor.
Lazio come into tonight's clash with plenty of pedigree in this competition, having reached the semi-finals last season with largely the same squad. Vladimir Petkovic managed to handle the balance of playing three times a week with relative success last season, but are his side capable of matching those achievements again this time round? Tonight's trip to Turkey should give us a good indication.
The Aquile have made a solid start to their Serie A cmapaign, amassing 10 points from their six matches to date. That return has not been enough to keep Lazio fans happy though, with a painful loss to Roma in the Derby della Capitale earlier this month still a vivid memory.
Tonight's hosts Trabzonspor go into the match full of confidence after putting together a terrific run of results home and away so far this season. Mustafa Ackay's men look solid and compact in defence and have a sprinkle of quality at the other end brought by Florent Malouda and Paulo Henrique.
Ackay's side can also take heart from facing a weakened Lazio side this evening, with Vladimir Petkovic's options significantly weakened by injury. The loss of forward talisman Miroslav Klose may be most keenly felt by the Italian giants, while defensive duo Stefan Radu and Andre Dias are also amongst a hefty list of casualties.
BREAKING TEAM NEWS! We have just received word on the starting XIs from Trabzon and Lazio have a pair of players making their full debuts tonight in Brayan Perea and Felipe Anderson. A full look at both lineups will follow in just a few moments.
LAZIO: Marchetti; Cavanda, Ciani, Cana, Lulic; Hernanes, Biglia; Candreva, Onazi, Felipe Anderson; Perea
TRANZONSPOR: Onur Kivrak; Bosingwa, Aykut Demir, Mustafa Yumlu, Olcan Adin; Zokora, Colman; Yusuf Erdogan, Mierzejewski, Malouda; Paulo Henrique
As expected Lazio boss Petkovic has decided to rotate this evening, with Portuguese youngster Perea given a chance in attack ahead of Sergio Floccari. Felipe Anderson's start in an advanced midfield role is also a surprise, while Lucas Biglia returns in the centre.
It looks like Senad Lulic may drop back to play at left-back tonight for the visitors, with Hernanes, Anderson and Candreva playing in an advanced midfield roles behind Pera. With Lazio's squad stretched to the limit, tonight's match represents a chance for some peripheral figures in the squad to stake a claim for regular playing time!
Trabzonspor have made one change to the side that won their third league match on the spin last weekend, with Argentine midfielder Gustavo Colman recalled in central midfield. He will play alongside experienced anchor Didier Zokora, with Malouda playing wide on the left in support of in-form striker Henrique, who has seven goals in his last seven games.
PREDICTION! As we await both sides in Trabzon there is just time for me to hazard a guess at who can make it two wins from two in Group J tonight. Lazio have made changes but still have a strong spine of experienced players, which I think will be enough to grind out a point on the road. I'll go for Henrique to maintain his strong scoring run in a 1-1 draw.
Both sides are in Trabzon, greeted by a raucous crowd but torrential rain on the Turkish Black Sea coast. A tight, compact stadium should add to a hostile atmosphere for Lazio, who are in a changed yellow strip this evening.
Lazio decide to delay the kickoff with a huddle, which is greeted by jeers from the home crowd. Trabzonspor eventually get the clash underway in their familiar red and blue strip, shooting from left to right.
Trabzonspor have quickly settled in possession, with Zokora dictating from deep. Lazio look happy to sit deep, with Marchetti forced into a routine early save as he claims a swirling strike from range.
Onazi looks to get Lazio in on the counter as he wins possession inside the final third, but a lofted pass in search of Perea goes astray. Expect that to be a favoured tactic for the visitors tonight.
Mierzejewski does his defence no favours by putting out of play well inside his own half, giving Lazio a chance to get numbers forward. Hernanes eventually works the ball out wide to Cavanda, who sends a low cross into the penalty area. His delivery takes a bobble and causes uncertainty in the box, before Kivrak eventually comes off his line to gather.
Back come Trabzonspor as Malouda wins a corner down the left flank, with Mierzejewski's delivery proving to be disappointing and cleared with minimum fuss at the near post. The hosts really must make more of those kind of set-piece opportunities when they come.
GOAL! Trabazonspor 1-0 Lazio (Erdogan)
In the blink of an eye Lazio go from shooting at goal to conceding as a clinical Trabzon counter puts the hosts ahead. Lazio were caught cold after Hernanes had a strike from range parried, with a long ball creating acres of space for Henrique. His clever switch out wide found Erdogan with similar room inside the penalty area, with the winger able to cooly slot under Marchetti to break the deadlock!
A swift response from Lazio sees the visitors go within inches of finding a quick equaliser. Felipe Anderson was the player who created the danger, flashing across goal to miss a dive from Hernanes at the far post by inches.
Marchetti is once again called into action to parry clear a drive form distance by Mierzejewski, with Lulic reacting quickest to avert danger from the rebound. Worrying times here for the visitors, who look vulnerable at the back, particularly down the right flank.
GOAL! Trabzonspor 2-0 Lazio (Mierzejewski)
A dream start for Trabzonspor as they go two goals to the good through Mierzejewski. The midfielder tried his luck from 20 yards, with a speculative strike taking a wicked deflection off Cana before looping over Marchetti into the top corner.
Lazio look all at sea defensively and nearly concede a third, with Erdogan's ball hacked clear by Lulic at the second attempt, after the ball had come within inches of bouncing for Henrique inside the penalty area.
GOAL! Trabzonspor 2-1 Lazio (Onazi)
Just as Trabzonspor look to be dominating they are caught cold on the counter as Onazi reduces the deficit. The Nigerian played forward to Perea and continued his run forward, which was rewarded by a precise pass inside. Onazi took full advantage with a composed finish, finding the bottom corner. Game on by the Black Sea!
CHANCE! Lazio look revitalised by that goal as Cavanda breaks forward down the right before looking up to find Hernanes inside. The Brazilian steps over the ball to loose his marker, before sending a low strike inches beyond the far post. We have a match on our hands now!
GOAL! Trabzonspor 3-1 Lazio (Henrique)
The deluge of goals is beating torrential rain in Trabzon as the hosts restore their two-goal advantage. It's another defensive horror show for Lazio as Mierzejewski is given time to slip a pass between to central defenders to Henrique, who takes full advantage to smash home from close range. That's eight goals in as many European games this season for the stocky Brazilian, putting the Turkish side back in control of the match.
Back come Lazio as this frenetic first half shows no sign of letting up, but this time Anderson is shut down as he attempts to drive inside the box by Colman.
Hernanes exchanges neatly with Anderson but goes down inside the penalty area as he fails to control the return, with the referee waving away his speculative penalty appeal. The official then awards Lazio a free kick just outside the area as play continues, with Colman penalised for blocking Lulic.
Hernanes has his free kick comfortably saved by Kivrak, but Lazio are soon back on the attack as Cavanda drives down the flank to win a corner kick. Cavanda goes across to take and finds Lulic at the near post, but his header misses the target from close range by inches.
HALF-TIME Trabzonspor 3-1 Lazio
Well that was quite a first period for Trabzonspor, who took advantage of some frankly pathetic defending to build a 3-1 advantage at the break. Petkovic prides himself on building a side tough to beat, but with options limited his makeshift starting XI have been ruthlessly exposed so far tonight.
Lulic and Cavanda in particular have been found wanting at full-back for Lazio tonight, allowing Trabzonspor to consistently create chances. Mierzejewski in particular has been intelligent enough to take advantage of those defensive deficiencies, scoring one goal and creating another.
Lazio have in all fairness looked a potent threat at the other end, with Onazi good value for his goal which temporarily reduced the deficit. Henrique's strike soon after has made claiming a positive result look very difficult for the visitors tonight, can Petkovic draw a response from his beleaguered troops during the interval?
BENCH WATCH! If Petkovic is serious about getting back into this match he way look to change things at the break, with options going forward. Sergio Floccari could provide support to an isolated Perea in attack, while the experienced Ledesma or Ederson are capable of dictating play if introduced in midfield.
Both sides are back out as the horrible weather shows no sign of letting up in Trabzon. Can the hosts hold out to make it two wins from two in Group J, or are Lazio capable of staging a second-half fightback? We are about to find out!
Lazio win a corner and think they have pulled a go back with their first attack of the second half, as Ciani heads home from close range. The effort is quickly ruled out though by the linesman, who rightly spots that Canderva's corner kick curled out of play before reaching the penalty area.
Ciani is quickly back to defending and makes a poor job of closing down Henrique, beaten for pace as both men chase a long ball over the top. Marchetti senses the danger and comes off his line to clear.
MISS! Lazio go close to reducing the deficit as Hernanes meets a terrific curling cross from Lulic. The Brazilian does well to aim his header low into the ground from eight yards, but Kivrak reacts quickly and makes a firm stop.
Back come the hosts as an end-to-end start to the second half continues, with Cana just stretching to cut out a through ball intended for Ciani.
Confusion is rife in the Trabzonspor penalty area as Kivrak comes off his line to deal with Onazi's cross, but makes contact with Anderson as he turns behind. For a brief moment the goalkeeper thinks that the referee has awarded a penalty, but fortunately for the hosts Lazio have to make do with a corner kick.
SUBSTITUTION: Trabzonspor make a change in central midfield, with Colman replaced by Akgun. The Argentine looked to be struggling with a calf problem and has been withdrawn as a precaution, particularly with Fenerbahce looming large this weekend.
SAVE! Kivrak has just made a wonderful stop to keep the Turkish side in control. The keeper was quick off his line to shut down Felipe Anderson, who collected a pass from Lulic inside the area. He attempted to chip Kivrak but ran out of room, forced to settle for a corner as his chip was parried behind.
SUBSTITUTION: Lazio have made their first change and gone for two in attack, with Floccari replacing the very disappointing Candreva. The visitors are running out of time and need two goals to take anything back to Rome!
SUBSTITUTION: Trabzonspor have opted for fresh legs out wide as we head towards the final 20 minutes, with Malouda replaced by Brazilian veteran Alanzinho, is given a warm reception by the home crowd.
Terrific work from Anderson nearly sees the youngster create a goal out of nothing for Lazio. The Brazilian nutmegged his marker before driving into the box, but was forced wide enough for his fierce strike to be turned past the near post. Encouraging signs here for Lazio as they look for a route back into the match.
Cana makes an error in possession and has Lazio chasing after Henrique, who drives inside the penalty area from a wide position. The striker is eventually closed down by a retreating Cana and Ciani, who do enough to shut down the Brazilian and clear. Lazio then win a corner kick quickly at the other end, which sees Cana involved again as he heads straight at Kivrak.
MISS!: Trabzonspor should have just ended this match as a contest as they broke forward in numbers. Henrique held the ball up strongly and passed at just the right time to Alanzinho, who scuffed a weak strike into Marchetti's grasp with the goal gaping. The hosts are soon back on the attack through Mierzejewski, who draws a cynical foul from Cavanda that sees the full-back booked.
SUBSTITUTION: Another positive swap for Lazio as Hernanes makes way for Ederson, who has just under 15 minutes to make an impact for the visitors.
Lazio are throwing caution to the wind but are running out of time, as Ederson is shut down by Adin in midfield. Biglia attempts to win the ball back but bundles into the back of Alanzinho, with his desperate lunge unlucky not to see the Argentine booked.
SUBSTITUTION: A final throw of the dice for Lazio as another youngster comes on looking to make an impression, with Keita replacing Anderson in an advanced attacking role.
MISS! Henrique is very unlucky not to get his second of the night after lifting a strike over Marchetti from an acute angle. The striker was played through by a clever pass from Mierzejewski, but under pressure from Cavanda just skewed his effort beyond the far post.
GOAL! Trabzonspor 3-2 Lazio (Floccari)
Floccari sets up a grandstand finish with a simple header from close range. The striker's first goal of the season could not have been more simple, watching Kivrak come and miss a corner kick before directing a firm header into an empty net. Game on and still time for Lazio to rescue a point!
GOAL! Trabzonspor 3-3 Lazio (Floccari)
What an incredible finish as Floccari scores his second goal in as many minutes, levelling this match at the death. The forward bombed on after exchanging passes with Perea, parting a static defence before calmly steering his finish into the bottom corner!
Suddenly this match has opened up at both ends, what a finish to an entertaining tie. Trabzonspor looked stunned but press forward through Mierzejewski, who has to settle for a throw in next to the corner flag after a burst down the flank.
Lulic takes on Bosingwa down the flank but the defender's experience tells, shielding the ball and waiting for contact to win a free kick. There will be three minutes of added time!
FULL-TIME Trabzonspor 3-3 Lazio
In the end Lazio are rewarded for pressing late on and salvage a point from a pulsating Group J clash. That's about it for Sports Mole's coverage from Trabzon, thanks for your time and stay tuned for more Europa League coverage tonight across the site!
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
