Noslin's 90th-Minute Winner Sends Lazio Past Relegation-Bound Cremonese
Late drama at Stadio Giovanni Zini as Lazio snatch victory despite injury crisis
What a way to end Monday's Serie A action. Lazio pulled off a dramatic late comeback at the Stadio Giovanni Zini, overturning Federico Bonazzoli's opener to beat relegation-threatened Cremonese 2-1 with Tijjani Noslin's 90th-minute winner.
The match started with early drama as Cremonese were forced into a substitution after just 21 minutes when Federico Baschirotto was replaced. Despite this setback, the hosts took control eight minutes later when Bonazzoli found the net to give Marco Baroni's side hope in their desperate fight against relegation.
Cremonese looked comfortable heading into halftime with their 1-0 advantage, but Lazio manager Igor Tudor clearly had words during the break. The visitors made two immediate substitutions, bringing on Patric and Daniel Maldini to inject fresh energy into their attack.
The changes paid dividends eight minutes into the second half when Gustav Isaksen leveled the score with a well-taken goal, showcasing exactly why he carries an impressive 8.3 SAM rating. The Danish midfielder's strike highlighted Lazio's superior possession game, as they controlled 58% of the ball despite their injury-ravaged squad.
Both teams made multiple changes as the match wore on, with Cremonese bringing on four substitutes in a desperate attempt to find a winner. The game looked destined for a draw until the dying moments when Noslin stepped up to deliver the decisive blow, converting what proved to be the winner with virtually the last kick of the game.
Tactically, this match told the story of two teams with contrasting fortunes. Cremonese, sitting 18th with just 28 points and a woeful LLDLL form, showed glimpses of the fighting spirit that could yet keep them up. Their 13 shots compared to Lazio's 8 demonstrated their attacking intent, though their 0.51 expected goals highlighted ongoing conversion issues.
Lazio's victory was built on superior ball retention and clinical finishing when it mattered most. Despite missing key players like Danilo Cataldi, Mattia Zaccagni, and Adam Marusic to injury, they managed to outscore their expected goals of 0.96, showing the kind of efficiency that separates mid-table from relegation fodder.
For the SAM rating enthusiasts, Isaksen's goal-scoring contribution justified his 8.3 rating, while Cremonese's top-rated performer Filippo Terracciano (9.0 SAM rating) couldn't prevent another damaging defeat.
This result keeps Lazio in 8th place with 51 points, maintaining their push for European qualification. For Cremonese, time is running out fast. With just three games remaining and sitting 18th, Monday's defeat leaves them needing miracles to avoid the drop to Serie B.