Goals from Alessandro Matri, Felipe Anderson and Antonio Candreva helped Lazio cement their spot at the summit of Group G despite Mauricio was given his marching orders within five minutes.
Lazio reduced to ten men
It was a blistering start for the hosts that almost engendered an opener within three minutes. Wesley Hoedt crashed his header off the frame of the goal before Stefano Mauri, who had liberated behind enemy lines to win the corner, cannoned the rebound off the crossbar.
But the bright opening was in vain when Mauricio, who saw red against Verona earlier this month, was dismissed for upending Jørgen Skjelvik while the forward raced through on goal.
Naturally, Lazio surrendered the initiative to their guests and were seeking respite through the dynamism of Antonio Candreva and Felipe Anderson. On one instance, the duo, accompanied by Alessandro Matri, countered abreast but an overhit pass from the on-loan forward halted a potential opener.
Pioli’s side did, however, reduce the visitors to snapshots from the edge of the area during the opening exchanges. So, too, did their their ball retention offer encouragement. Though their defensive miserliness was almost undone from a straightforward set-piece when Lædre Bjordal nodded wide from a free header.
Lazio stamp authority
Conspicuous, however, was Rosenborg’s high-line and, with the game 28 minutes old, Lazio ruefully exploited it. Candreva threaded a sumptuous reverse pass through to the oft-prolifigate Matri who finished with aplomb.
The Norwegians were close to restoring parity when Santiago Gentiletti ceded possession in defence. Skjelvik was released in-behind Hoedt but could only watch his left-footed effort cannon off the post. The visitors struck the woodwork on a second occasion when Alexander Søderlund flicked Jonas Svensson’s pinpoint delivery off the far post. The visitors, though, were in the ascendency.
Felipe Anderson ought to have done better when he ghosted past Mikhael Dorsin on the left and delivered a woefully underhit cut-back across goal. Lazio began the second period on the front foot, with Candreva inches away from doubling his side’s advantage from a Matri cut-back.
A second seemed imminent and on the 53rd minute it arrived. The Rosenborg reargurd was breached yet again, with Matri opting to tee up an onrushing Felipe Anderson who stroked his effort into the corner.
Visitors provided with hope
As the game creeped into its autumn, however, Rosenborg contrived to reduce the arrears. Søderlund, who is in fruitful goalscoring form domestically, rose highest from a Skjelvik cross to power his header past Berisha.
Apprehension began to seep into the hosts’ defending as Søderlund went close minutes later from an almost identical header. Abdoulaye Konko, worryingly, was being terrorised.
But the complexion of the match swung when No.19 bundled over Stefan Radu in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Candreva, who had strode around all evening with great panache, may have missed the ensuing spot-kick but the Italian dispatched from the rebound.
Game over, it seemed, though substitute Konradsen offered a modicum of hope for the away side when his thunderous effort flew inches wide of the mark. Søderlund was presented with the chance to grab a consolation in injury time from 12-yards but Berisha denied the forward.
Man of the Match: Alessandro Matri (Lazio)