Davide Frattesi and Albert Gudmundsson scored in the final 15 minutes as Lazio came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1 at the Bluenergy Stadium, moving Gennaro Gattuso's side top of Serie A with a perfect record after three rounds. Jesper Karlström put the hosts ahead four minutes into the second half, but Frattesi equalised in the 75th minute before substitute Gudmundsson headed the winner in the 88th, on his Lazio debut.
Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic reflected on a first-half littered with injuries.
"I'm very disappointed about the defeat, that's obvious. We saw two different halves. Despite the two injuries we did well — we don't have Lazio's squad depth," he said. "Solet got injured, and I don't need to explain how important he is for us, even though Kabasele did well. We also lost Piotrowski."
Runjaic felt his side had failed to manage the game after taking the lead.
"We could have kept the ball better in the second half, we conceded a few too many counter-attacks. Nuno Tavares is a player we've known for a while, he can run all day. Zaccagni is exceptional, Pinamonti is also very strong. Had we been sharper, we probably could have taken a point."
He was generous in his assessment of Lazio's summer arrival from Inter.
"Frattesi is a great player I've known for three years. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, he brings real quality. It shows the level of Inter's squad, that they can afford to leave a player like that on the bench," Runjaic said. "I did say we weren't favourites today, and I didn't say that by accident."
Gattuso, for his part, praised his players' spirit over any tactical masterstroke.
"Credit to the lads — concede a goal, maybe lose 2-1, and Gattuso looks presumptuous. That's football. Systems only matter so much for how we want to play. These boys are doing important things, in terms of quality and spirit," he said.
Asked what he had been working on, Gattuso pointed to mentality as much as tactics.
"I'm working a lot on the tactical side. Today's young players know plenty, but maybe they should rely on the analysis less. I chose weak opposition for our friendlies deliberately — I knew we had to strip everything back and try something different. It hasn't been easy, but we can keep improving."
On the late winner, Gattuso credited his players rather than any specific plan.
"It's down to them — the goal starts with a central defender. What annoyed me is that after our goal we switched off, and that can't happen," he said.