MILAN — The fight for the last Champions League place is heading for a thrilling finale in Serie A after Lazio was held to a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Crotone on Sunday.
Lazio remained fourth, three points head of Inter Milan, which it faces next week in the final game of the season with a place in Europe’s premier club competition at stake.
Third-place Roma is already assured of Champions League football next season no matter what happens in the evening match against Juventus, which only needs a point to mathematically secure a record-extending seventh successive title with one game to spare.
Despite the impressive result, Crotone slipped into the relegation zone, below Spal on their head-to-head record. It visits Napoli in its final match.
After Inter was beaten 2-1 by Sassuolo on Saturday, Lazio knew victory at Crotone would secure it a Champions League berth.
It took the lead in the 17th minute in disputed circumstances as Senad Lulic went down under Federico Ceccherini’s challenge but had appeared to shove Mario Sampirisi in the build-up.
After checking with the video assistant referee, a penalty was awarded and Lulic struck it into the bottom left corner, just past the outstretched hand of Alex Cordaz.
Ceccherini made up for his mistake in the 29th as he stole the ball off Felipe Anderson in midfield to spark a counterattack and Simy powerfully headed in after being set up by Bruno Martella.
Felipe Caicedo should have restored Lazio’s advantage when sent clear by Felipe Anderson, but he hesitated and Cordaz did well to save his weak attempt from point-blank range.
Caicedo went even closer immediately after the break but he headed Felipe Anderson’s free kick off the bar.
Lazio was made to pay for its missed opportunities as Crotone took the lead shortly after the hour as Ceccherini fired Andrea Barberis’ free kick in off the post.
Crotone almost extended its lead minutes later when Marcus Rohden’s effort beat Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha but was cleared off the line by Stefan de Vrij.
De Vrij, who is almost certain to leave for Inter in the off-season, was instrumental in his side’s equalizer six minutes from time with a glancing header, which Sergio Milinkovic-Savic controlled brilliantly before drilling past Cordaz.
Milinkovic-Savic almost won the match for Lazio but his header went inches wide of the far post.
FINAL RECKONING
Any one of five clubs could be relegated on the final day of the season.
Cagliari managed a surprise 1-0 victory at Fiorentina to damage its opponent’s Europa League hopes and climb out of the bottom three.
It moved a point above Crotone and Spal, which lost 2-1 at Torino.
Udinese is a point further ahead after a 1-0 win at already relegated Hellas Verona saw it end a dismal run of one point from 13 matches.
It is level with Chievo Verona, which came from behind to win 2-1 at Bologna.
Fiorentina remained eighth, three points behind Atalanta and the final Europa League spot. The defeat meant AC Milan secured its spot in the Europa League despite Atalanta scoring late to rescue a 1-1 draw in a bad-tempered match which saw a player from each side sent off in separate incidents.
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