2' min
The third matchday of the league delivered plenty of surprises, not so much in the results themselves, but in the manner in which they were achieved. In particular, Lazio-Milan and Napoli-Parma brought both excitement and controversy.
At the Stadio Olimpico, two teams under heavy criticism for their shaky start to the season faced off. Milan's coach, Fonseca, made a bold decision by leaving key players Theo Hernandez and Rafa Leao out of the starting lineup. Initially, the gamble paid off as Milan took the lead just eight minutes in with a header from Serbian player Pavlovic.
But the second half saw everything change. Within just four minutes, between the 62nd and 66th, Lazio turned the match around with goals from Castellanos and Dia, both set up by new signing Nuno Tavares. At the 70th minute, Fonseca responded by bringing on the two high-profile benchwarmers. Only two minutes later, Hernandez initiated a play that Leao finished, scoring the equalizer.
The cooling break that followed revealed a visible rift between the players and their coach, with Theo and Rafa standing apart from the rest of the team, who gathered around Fonseca. Tensions are high in Milan's camp, still searching for their first win of the season. Tensions were also palpable at Lazio, where the team was booed off at halftime and faced critical chants directed at president Lotito.
A heart-stopping match took place at the Maradona stadium. Newly promoted Parma stunned Conte’s Napoli with a blistering start, hitting the woodwork twice before taking the lead through a Bonny penalty. The second half was packed with fiery incidents. At the 60th minute, new signing Lukaku entered the pitch to loud cheers from the home crowd. Parma was reduced to ten men in the 75th minute following the dismissal of goalkeeper Suzuki, forcing full-back Delprato to take his place in goal.
In the 90th minute, a penalty was awarded to Napoli, but it was overturned after a VAR review. As an unlikely defeat loomed, the unexpected happened during the 11 minutes of stoppage time. Lukaku scored the equalizer in the 92nd minute, and Anguissa snatched an improbable victory for Napoli in the 96th. Conte’s exuberant celebrations, aided by a touch of fortune, quashed the criticism that would have inevitably followed a loss for the Azzurri.
