Lazio head coach Stefano Pioli. (Photo : Getty Images)
Middling teams SS Lazio (10-9-7, 37 points) and US Sassuolo Calcio (9-6-11, 38 points) are scheduled to meet at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Monday, Feb. 29th as the Serie A 2015-2016 season moves forward.
Lazio and Sassuolo are currently in the eighth and seventh spots in the league table respectively as both teams have had up-and-down campaigns this season in the Italian domestic top flight.
I Biancocelesti managed to pull off two wins in their last six matches to remain near the middle of the overall standings.
Their last game was a goalless draw with bottom-three squad Frosinone Calcio at the Stadio Matusa on Feb. 21st, as reported by ESPN. It was the third drawn match by Stefano Pioli's team in their last six outings.
Lazio was able to control ball possession more during the road match, but the cellar-dwellers were able to hold their defense to prevent any shots to go through from the visitors.
Meanwhile, Sassuolo outpointed a tough Empoli eleven, 3-2, in a foul-marred game at their home field of Mapei Stadium - Città del Tricolore also on Feb. 21st, as per SkySports.
The two teams had one send-off each, with Sassuolo midfielder Simone Missiroli getting a second yellow card at the 31st minute while Empoli defender Lorenzo Tonelli also got booked for the second time at the 38th.
Azzurri midfielder Piotr Zieliński scored the opening goal five minutes after I Neroverdi went a man down, but Sassuolo managed to equalize the game immediately after Tonelli was sent off, courtesy of a left-footed shot from striker Domenico Berardi.
Ending the first half tied at 1-1, Eusebio Di Francesco's boys went to work early in the second half to get two points clear of their visitors via a double from French striker Gregoire Defrel.
Empoli forward Massimo Maccarone was able to score one at the 70th through a penalty kick, but it was the closest the Blues could get to try and overtake the Black and Greens.
The predicted result is a tight 1-0 win at home for Lazio. Both teams are equal as of the moment, but Le Aquile will have the advantage of playing at home.
Lazio starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Marchetti; Konko, Bisevac, Hoedt, Lulic; Cataldi, Biglia, Mandziuk; Candreva, Djordjevic, Mauri
Sassuolo starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Consigli; Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Acerbi, Peluso; Pellegrini, Magnanelli, Duncan; Berardi, Defrel, Sansone
