Frattesi's Early Strike Gives Gattuso Winning Lazio Debut Against Bologna

Lazio made a winning start to the Gennaro Gattuso era, edging out Bologna 1-0 away at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara thanks to an early strike from summer signing Davide Frattesi, handing the new head coach his first competitive victory in charge.

It took just four minutes for the breakthrough, as Boulaye Dia sent Frattesi through with a clever flick around the corner, and the Italy international made no mistake, finishing first-time past Lukasz Skorupski for his maiden goal in Lazio colours. It proved to be the only real moment of quality in an otherwise scrappy, tightly-contested affair at the Dall'Ara.

Bologna, under new head coach Domenico Tedesco, had the ball in the net through Boulaye Dia's opposite number on the night, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside, and pushed hard for an equaliser throughout the second half. Roberto Piccoli, handed his first league start up front, went close on more than one occasion, while a well-worked move late on saw Dovbyk turn goalward off a deflection, only for goalkeeper Christos Mandas to produce a superb save with his legs to preserve the clean sheet and see out the win.

The result erases the disappointment of Lazio's shock Coppa Italia exit at the hands of second-tier side Mantova last weekend, and gives Gattuso the perfect platform to build on as he begins life in Rome. For Bologna, the defeat means Tedesco is still searching for his first win in charge, with the club having now won just one of their last ten Serie A opening-round fixtures, and attention turning to a tricky away trip to Atalanta next.