With Inter Milan flying high this season atop Serie A, on paper this seemed like a sure loss for struggling Lazio. With a little bit of help from Felipe Melo however, the underdogs got a big win against the current favourites for the title.
Inter looked a little sluggish right from the off, and it was hardly surprising when Lazio took the lead. A well worked corner saw the ball fall to Antonio Candreva at the edge of the box, and he rifled a shot through the crowd of bodies and past the motionless Samir Handanovic.
Roberto Mancini must have really got stuck into his players at half time, as they came out a different side in the second half. It was only a matter of time before Inter got their equaliser, and it came through club captain Mauro Icardi.
The Argentine was played through on goal with a defence splitting pass, and smashed the goal past the keeper to put his side in control.
Inter were unquestionably in the ascendancy after their goal, and if anyone was going to get the winner it looked likely to be them.
The game was drawing to a close, and it looked as though it was going to end with honours even. A moment of madness from Felipe Melo saw the away side gifted a penalty however, with the Brazilian needlessly charging straight into the back of the attacker.
Handanovic initially made the save from Candreva, but unfortunately was only able to palm the ball straight back into the Lazio man’s path for a tap in.
Melo was unquestionably to blame for Inter’s impending loss, and to compound his misery he was then given his marching orders. Nobody will ever know what he was thinking, but Melo attempted a bizarre karate kick clearance, practically taking the head off of Lucas Biglia.
Lazio themselves finished the game with ten men after a late second yellow for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, but they saw out the game and got the all important three points.