Lazio’s Ciro Immobile Scores Winning Goal Against Feyenoord in Champions League
On November 7, 2023, in a Champions League match, Lazio’s Ciro Immobile scores winning goal against Feyenoord in Champions League with a 1-0 home victory against Feyenoord, rekindling their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
This win propelled Maurizio Sarri’s team to the second position in Group E, trailing leaders Atletico Madrid by just one point, following Atletico’s convincing 6-0 victory over Celtic in another group fixture.
In Lazio’s Ciro Immobile scores winning goal against Feyenoord in Champions League, the match had a relatively uneventful first half until stoppage time, when Lazio’s captain, Ciro Immobile, made a remarkable play. He managed to bypass Feyenoord’s goalkeeper, Justin Bijlow, and struck the ball from a tight angle into the far post, giving his team the lead.
Notably, this marked Immobile’s 200th goal for the Italian side. His performance was even more remarkable considering that Sarri had made five changes to the starting lineup following their recent 1-0 league loss to Bologna.
Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez had an opportunity to level the score in the 67th minute from a free kick, but his header narrowly missed the target. Earlier in the match, Gimenez, who had scored twice against Lazio in Rotterdam, had a close-range shot saved by Lazio’s goalkeeper, Ivan Provedel.
Lazio’s victory was ultimately secured by Provedel in stoppage time when he prevented Ayase Ueda’s towering header from finding the back of the net.
Speaking about the match, Sarri noted, “We played a match in which we were at our best, even in moments of suffering. Against them, we had to suffer, as they are a goal machine, and tonight we kept them at bay.”
However, Sarri expressed concern over potential injuries, particularly those to midfielders Mattia Zaccagni and Luis Alberto, with Zaccagni being substituted shortly after the hour mark, and Luis Alberto receiving medical attention on the pitch towards the end of the game.
Injuries were not limited to Lazio, as Feyenoord lost defender Bart Nieuwkoop to injury in the 20th minute. Despite entering the match as group leaders, Feyenoord dropped to the third position with six points. It’s worth noting that, despite their European champion status in 1970, Feyenoord has not progressed past the group stage since the competition was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992.