Ciro Immobile stepped up in the dying moments to convert a penalty and hand Lazio a crucial 1-0 victory over 10-man Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash. The win marked the Biancocelesti’s fifth consecutive clean sheet at home and Bayern’s first European defeat in 10 months.
Coming off a demoralizing loss in the Bundesliga, Bayern started strong at the Stadio Olimpico. Kimmich returned to the lineup and nearly opened the scoring early, but it was mostly one-way traffic towards Neuer’s net. Kane had a close-range miss, Sané narrowly missed the target from a free-kick, and Musiala squandered a golden opportunity.
Lazio defended diligently and threatened on the counter, with Luis Alberto reminding Bayern of their attacking prowess. The second half began similarly, with Isaksen denied by Neuer. But the game changed on a dime when Upamecano saw red for a high challenge, handing Lazio a penalty. Immobile coolly converted, sending the Olimpico into raptures.
Bayern, missing several key players due to injury, struggled to respond with a man down. Tuchel will desperately hope for their return in the second leg in three weeks if they want to continue their streak of reaching the last eight.
For Lazio, this victory is a monumental boost. They head to the Allianz Arena with renewed belief, dreaming of reaching their first Champions League quarter-final since 2000.
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