Dynamo Kiev 0 Lazio 2 (2-4 agg): Lucas and De Vrij send dominant visitors through

Lucas Leiva and Stefan de Vrij were Lazio's unlikely goal heroes as their frontline fired a blank at Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League.

Published : Mar 16, 2018 01:41 IST

Lazio were victorious in Ukraine as a pair of goals from set-pieces earned a 2-0 win to knock out Dynamo Kiev 4-2 on aggregate in the Europa League's last 16.

Although the sides' 2-2 draw in Rome had set up a tricky second leg for Simone Inzaghi's men, the Serie A side were on the front foot from the off and Lucas Leiva's 23rd-minute effort was followed by a host of missed chances from profligate 34-goal forward Ciro Immobile.

But Stefan de Vrij, another unlikely scorer, struck in the closing stages to seal victory and deservedly book Lazio's place in the quarter-final draw.

Lazio quickly set about chasing an away goal to turn the tie back in their favour and only Tamas Kadar's desperate lunge kept Immobile from breaking the deadlock as he rounded Denys Boyko and looked to slide a finish into the net.

And the goalkeeper was again all at sea when the opener arrived, ex-Liverpool midfielders Luis Alberto and Lucas combining as the latter headed home the former's corner.

Dynamo offered little in response and Boyko's first half scarcely improved, the Ukraine international blocking from the wasteful Immobile but then clumsily handling a second effort from the forward at the very edge of his area.

Chances did not fall quite as easily in the second half after Patric somehow blazed over the top with the goal gaping, Felipe Anderson able to create an opening for himself but shooting straight at Boyko.

Dieumerci Mbokani arrived from the bench for Dynamo as they sought some forward momentum, but the decisive goal instead came at the other end as De Vrij stabbed into the net following a corner seven minutes from time to put the result beyond doubt.

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