ROME: Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel came forward and headed in a stoppage-time equalizer to earn the Roman club a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
On the final play of the match at the Stadio Olimpico, Provedel — making his Champions League debut — showed off his unlikely attacking skills by meeting a cross from Luis Alberto with a glancing header.
It was a measure of revenge for Provedel, who was left fuming after Pablo Barrios scored for Atletico in the first half with a shot that took a big deflection off Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada.
“I’m going to enjoy this. But we only got one point; we didn’t win,” Provedel said, adding that he modeled his attacking style after Lazio center forward Ciro Immobile.
Feyenoord beat Celtic 2-0 in the other Group E match.
Before kickoff, Lazio fans welcomed back Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, who helped Lazio win the 2000 Serie A title as a player and also won three other trophies with the Roman club.
“Rome and Lazio will always be your home. Welcome back, Cholo, our champion of Italy,” read a banner in Italian held aloft by Lazio's hard-core “ultra” supporters.
While this is Atletico’s 11th straight group appearance in the Champions League, Lazio is playing in the competition for only the second time in 16 seasons.
Lazio produced many more chances, with Mattia Zaccagni and Luis Alberto both coming close on various occasions
Also, Immobile failed to take advantage of an errant pass from Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak in the second half.
Oblak then lunged to push wide a long shot from Danilo Cataldi in stoppage time before Provedel's goal.
Lazio lost left back Luca Pellegrini to an injury during the first half.