Lazio’s winning streak in the Europa League came to a halt as they settled for a goalless draw against Ludogorets. The match, held at the Stadio Olimpico, saw the Aquile unable to capitalize on several opportunities, including a shot from Matteo Guendouzi that struck the crossbar and a controversial penalty appeal that went unheeded.
Having entered the match with a perfect record after four games, Lazio sat atop their group. However, coach Marco Baroni was without key players Nuno Tavares and Gaetano Castrovilli due to injuries, and Mattia Zaccagni, Taty Castellanos, and Alessio Romagnoli were not fully fit. As a result, Tijjani Noslin was deployed as a center-forward upon his return from suspension. In contrast, Ludogorets struggled with just one point from their previous matches and were missing both Caio Vidal and Rick due to suspensions.
The first half saw both teams create chances, with Noslin failing to control a pass from Loum Tchaouna after Pedro had drawn out the goalkeeper. Boulaye Dia also tested Ludogorets’ goalkeeper Hendrik Bonmann with a close-range effort that required a quick reaction save. Despite making three substitutions at halftime, Lazio’s performance did not improve significantly. Pedro’s shot from the edge of the box was easily saved, while Manuel Lazzari missed two attempts from difficult angles.
The match took a pivotal turn in the 72nd minute when Erick Marcus appeared to foul Gustav Isaksen in the penalty area; however, Croatian referee Duje Strukan waved play on and upheld his decision even after reviewing the incident on VAR, which left Lazio players and fans frustrated.
In a last-ditch effort for victory, Guendouzi nearly clinched the win for Lazio in the 86th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box that hit the crossbar. Ultimately, the match ended without goals, leaving Lazio still at the top of their group but without their flawless record intact.
Lazio (4-2-3-1): Mandas; Marusic, Gigot, Patric, Pellegrini (46′ Lazzari); Vecino (60′ Rovella), Guendouzi; Tchaouna (46′ Isaksen), Dia (46′ Castellanos), Pedro (79′ Zaccagni); Noslin. All. Baroni
Ludogrets (4-3-3): Bonmann; Witry, Kurtulus, Almeida, Son (81′ Camara); Gropper (81′ Yordanov), Naressi, Duarte; Chochev (89′ Piotrowski), Marcus, Seco (68′ Duah).
