Tijjani Noslin, Lazio's 27-year-old Dutch forward, scored in a 3-3 friendly draw against Juve Stabia at Formello during the international break, using the pause in the Serie A calendar to stay sharp ahead of what promises to be a demanding second phase of the season.
The goal matters in context. Lazio under Ivan Gattuso sit third in Serie A with 13 points from five matches — four wins and a draw, with eight goals scored and three conceded — and Noslin has been a functioning part of that machine. Two goals in four Serie A appearances this season place him among the contributors in a side that has been difficult to beat. Gattuso's concern, expressed publicly before the break, was that the adrenaline of a strong start would dissipate during the international window. Noslin's involvement in the Juve Stabia test suggests he is doing what forwards in form are supposed to do: maintain rhythm when competitive football is unavailable.
The friendly itself was untidy — a 3-3 scoreline against a Serie B side, with Zaccagni and Pinamonti also on the scoresheet — but scorelines in pre-restart tests are rarely the point. For Noslin, the value is in the minutes and the movement, not the result.
His season numbers carry a small complication worth noting. Alongside his Serie A output, he has also featured in the Coppa Italia this term, though that appearance produced neither a goal nor an assist. The distinction matters: his two goals were built in the league, and that is where Lazio's ambitions will be measured.
An AI overall rating of 68 out of 100, with a potential of 72, frames Noslin as a player still with room to grow into his ceiling — not a finished article, but not a gamble either. At 27, the window for that development is present but not indefinite. A Supercoppa Italiana fixture against Inter, confirmed for 22 December at San Siro, adds another competitive marker on the horizon beyond the league.
Gattuso's Lazio return to Serie A action in a week. Noslin will want to carry the Formello momentum with him.