Lazio were looking to continue their impressive Serie A campaign with victory over Bologna away from home on Monday evening.
However, the visitors from Rome had to settle for a goalless draw at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara and also ended the game with 10 men after Libor Kozak was sent off in the 86th minute.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute text commentary of the Serie A game between Bologna and Lazio. It promises to be an interesting match and you can follow all the action live here on this page.
Heading into tonight’s encounter, Lazio find themselves sixth in the table, just four points off the final Champions League place.
On the other hand, Bologna are level with third-from-bottom Pescara on 14 points.
Team news coming up now...
Bologna Starting Lineup: Agliardi; Motta, Antonsson, Sorensen, Cherubin; Perez, Krhin, Taider;Kone, Diamanti; Gilardino
Lazio Starting Lineup: Marchetti; Cavanda, Biava, Ciani, Radu; Ledesma; Candreva, Gonzalez,Hernanes, Mauri; Kozak
Kickoff in Bologna is just moments away, as the two sets of players are on the pitch now...
And Lazio kick off proceedings in the first half...
Hernanes takes the first attempt on goal for either side in the game, but it is not really that strong and is easily claimed by Bologna goalkeeper Federico Agliardi
DIAMANTI! The Bologna forward finds himself with a quick ball inside the Lazio penalty area and he takes a quick volley, but it goes wide of Federico Marchetti's goal. Bright start to the game by both teams.
Hernanes is looking quite bright for Lazio in these opening minutes of the match, as he runs at the Bologna defence once again. The home side will have to be careful of the Brazilian playmaker tonight.
The game has gone a bit flat in the last few minutes, as the two sides are cancelling each other in the midfield. This will be a tactical match and I don't really anticipate too many goals here.
LEDESMA! Cristian Ledesma takes snapshot at the Bologna goal from outside the penalty box, but it sails wide and does not trouble Agliardi at all.
The crowd is in full voice here at the moment and are cheering Bologna on. They are the underdogs in this match, but as often we have seen in Italian football, games are very competitive and no one can be written off.
TAIDER! Ledesma allows Saphir Sliti Taider too much time to take his shot from outside the Lazio penalty box, but luckily for him, it goes wide.
CANDREVA! Brilliant run there from Antonio Candreva, who collects the ball on the left side of the Bologna penalty box after Stefano Mauri releases him, gets past Frederik Sorensen and then shoots on goal from a very tight angle. However, Agliardi makes a good save and clears the ball away for a corner, from which the visitors earn nothing.
Fifteen minutes gone in this match, and it is still goalless between the two teams. Lazio have gained the upperhand in the contest in the last few minutes and are pressing on their hosts.
Bologna are struggling to create any kind of attacking threat at the moment, and are just about keeping Lazio away from their penalty area.
Oh, ever so slight hint of an attacking move from Bologna. Alessandro Diamanti tries to release Panagiotis Kone down the left wing, but his ball is too heavy and his teammate loses it under pressure.
It has become a scrappy affair really after a bright start. The pace of the game is still good, though, but it is lacking intensity, creativity and imagination.
DIAMANTI! The Bologna forward collects the ball in the midfield, gallops towards the Lazio goal and unleashes a shot from over 30 yards. It is well hit but Marchetti claims it without any problem whatsoever.
We have played the first half of the first half, and it is goalless between Bologna and Lazio at the moment. It has been largely an uneventful match so far, but it has been competitive.
Oh, Bologna craft another good move and Alberto Gilardino is almost sent through, but he tries to shield the ball instead of taking it on his run on the edge of the Lazio penalty area. He eventually loses possession. At the other end, Candreva sees his long-range effort saved.
The spark is still missing in this match, as the teams are struggling to think creatively or imagine a way to hoodwink the opposition's defence. Still waiting for some piece of magic here...
Alvaro Gonzalez now whips in a cross from the right for Lazio, but it is easily dealt with by Bologna goalkeeper Federico Agliardi. To be fair, it was largely a speculative cross rather than one that was aimed at someone in a Lazio shirt.
Luis Pedro Cavanda becomes the first player to be cautioned in this game for his challenge on Panagiotis Kone.
Nothing concrete has materialised in the last four or so minutes really, as the game has become very flat. It is very scrappy at the moment, with neither side able to string more than three passes together!
Lazio are playing for a Champions League spot this season following a very impressive start to the campaign. The Aquile will move to just a point of third-place Napoli if they win tonight.
On the other hand, Bologna are level on points with third-from-bottom Pescara. And they are struggling for survival in Serie A this campaign. However, at the moment the match between Bologna and Lazio can go either way.
Five minutes to half-time, and it is goalless between the two teams. The way the game is going, it looks very unlikely that we will see a goal before the half-time interval!
Hernanes tries to find the target with a free kick from 35 yards. but he fails to keep his attempt even on target!
Lazio try to launch a counterattack as a move is pushed forward from the midfield, but the final cross from left is easily cleared away.
CHANCE! Brilliant save there from Bologna goalkeeper Federico Agliardi! Michael Ciani puts in a low cross from the right wing that Giuseppe Biava turns towards goal, only to see Agliardi make a brilliant save, the best of the match.
Bologna 0-0 Lazio The referee blows the half-time whistle and signals an end to first-half action. It is goalless at the break between Bologna and Lazio.
It was a largely uneventful, flat and average first half, to be honest - one of the most uninspiring I have seen this season. Both sides looked cagey, scrappy and without much creativity.
Perhaps the stats will prove as much. Bologna had just one shot on target, Lazio had six but almost all of them were from distance that did not trouble Agliardi much. The hosts had 43% of the possession, while Lazio had the ball 57% of the time. There was just one corner for Bologna and Lazio had two.
As things stand, Lazio are fourth in Serie A with 30 points from 16 matches, three points behind third-place Napoli.
As for Bologna, they will go 15th if it remains goalless at full-time.
Second-half kickoff is just moments away, as the two sets of players are getting ready to come on to the pitch.
We are still waiting for the Lazio players to come out on to the pitch... And just as I say that, they are now rushing out of the tunnel. Slightly delayed start to the second half, it would be then.
And here we kick off with the second-half action...
Bologna make an early change in the first half. Tiberio Guarente comes on for Diego Perez.
There has been a slow start to the second half. The game has yet to pick up momentum, as the first-half pattern has continued. If we go at this rate, it would be safe to assume that a single goal would be enough to settle the result.
CHANCE! Just as I was saying that, here come Bologna with the first chance in the second half. Saphir Sliti Taider is released by Alberto Gilardino but just as he pulled the trigger, Stefan Radu recovers to block his attempt.
A couple of half-chances for the home side in the last couple of minutes or so. Diamanti sees his unthreatening long-range attempt saved before Panagiotis Kone's shot is blocked. All harmless tries really as far as Lazio are concerned.
Libor Kozak goes into the referee's book for his challenge on Nicolo Cherubin. He becomes the second Lazio player to be cautioned this evening.
Now Bologna midfielder Tiberio Guarente is shown the yellow card for a bad challenge on Alvaro Gonzalez.
Feeding on crusts and crumbs here, as Alessandro Diamanti takes an attempt on the Lazio goal from way outside the box, but it takes a deflection off Hernanes and goes out for a corner. Which, of course, the home side fail to capitalise on.
CHANCE! Oh, that was close for Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti. Alberto Gilardino brilliantly lays off a long ball to Guarente just outside the box and his fierce shot just goes wide of the mark. Marchetti was actually stranded between his posts.
So there is still hope of some magic in what has been so far a largely uninspiring and average game, eh! Just as I type that, Radu's header from a Candreva cross is easily saved by Agliardi.
CHANCE! That was so so so close for the home side, who suddenly look to have found some inspiration. Alessandro Diamanti runs down the right side of the Lazio penalty box, cuts inside and then unleashes a cross across the face of the Lazio goal. Both Alberto Gilardino and Panagiotis Kone slide in to get a touch on the ball, but both fail.
Now Radu plays a ball over the top of the Bologna defence looking for a Lazio teammate, but Agliardi makes a good and vital catch. The match has now kicked into life, as we head towards the final 25 or so minutes.
Substitution for Lazio now. Senad Lulic comes on for Alvaro Gonzalez.
Twenty minutes of normal time left in this Serie A contest that has only just kicked into life. It is goalless between Bologna and Lazio, but there are positive signs that we could see a goal between now and the full-time whistle.
Lazio look to be bringing on star striker Miroslav Klose soon. The German forward started on the bench this evening and his arrival on the pitch could break the deadlock.
Fifteen minutes left on the match. It is still goalless between the two teams.
Oh, Federico Marchetti makes a good save there, as he is alert to a long dipping ball that could have caught him offguard if he had lost his concentration for a moment or not. But credit to the Lazio goalkeeper, he remains alert as always.
Bologna are pressing on and are trying to take advantage of the fact that they are the home side this evening. Tiberio Guarente floats in from the left with Gilardino the intended target, but Marchetti makes an easy catch. Gilardino was flagged offside anyway.
And here comes the Lazio substitution that I was talking about a few minutes earlier. Miroslav Klose replaces Antonio Candreva.
CHANCE! Bologna make a quick counterattacking move and push forward with pace and intensity. Marco Motta is released down the right and he whips in a quick cross that Panagiotis Kone heads towards the Lazio goal, but sees it land on the roof of the net.
Frederik Sorensen is now shown the yellow card. He becomes the second Bologna player to get booked this evening.
Change for Bologna now. Archimede Morleo replaces Panagiotis Kone.
GILARDINO! The Italian forward goes ever so close for Bologna as he unleashes a shot on the Lazio goal after being released by Marco Motta. However, his attempt is a bit too high.
Five minutes of normal time left in this match. Bologna have gained the upperhand now, having impressed themselves upon Lazio over the last 20 or so minutes. Gilardino has been a bright spark for the home side in the second half.
RED CARD Libor Kozak has been sent off! The Lazio forward makes a truly horrific - and needless, if I may add - challenge on Archimede Morleo and is shown the yellow card for the second time in this match. Lazio are down to 10 men now.
And immediately after that red card, Bologna make their third and final change of the evening. Cristian Pasquato comes on for Rene Krhin.
Lazio have to hold on for the final minute of normal time and then injury time with 10 men. Bologna have the numerical advantage and they know that.
Four minutes of normal time have been awarded in this game. Four minutes for Lazio to hold on for a draw, four minutes for Bologna to pick up maximum points...
PASQUATO! Cristian Pasquato goes agonizingly close for Bologna! Nicolo Cherubin tees him up for a shot from outside the box that brings out another good save from Marchetti. The Lazio goalkeeper has probably been the best player in the game tonight.
Another substitution for Lazio, their third and final of the evening. Ogenyi Onazi comes on for Stefano Mauri. Just two minutes of injury time remain here...
Bologna 0-0 Lazio
It's all over at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, as Bologna and Lazio have played out a goalless draw. In what was a largely average game, neither side deserved to win, so a point apiece is the best result.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of the match here on strong>Sports Mole. Have a good night. It's goodbye from me for now.
Written by
Subhankar Mondal
Subhankar Mondal
