Davide Ballardini was making his debut on the Bologna bench, following the dismissal of Stefano Pioli on Tuesday. Edy Reja is unbeaten in his first two games back on the Lazio touchline, but the Biancocelesti remain one of three Serie A sides still looking for a first away victory of the season. Miroslav Klose missed a second half sitter for the visitors, his chance being the highlight of a game that failed to live up to expectations.
Both teams played out a 0-0 draw in last season's corresponding fixture and there was to be no repeat of Lazio's thumping 6-0 victory when the two sides met in Rome last May.
Alessandro Diamanti returned from suspension to give the home side a lift, but Andrea Mantovani and Francesco Della Rocca were both banned. Rolando Bianchi was given a chance to impress in attack.
Etrit Berisha stood in once again for the injured Federico Marchetti between the Lazio sticks. With Abdoulay Konko sidelined and Stefan Radu suspended, Reja shuffled his defence starting Luis Cavanda and moving Senad Lulic into a full-back role. Brazilian Felipe Anderson was handed a rare starting position out wide.
Berisha comfortably saved from Diamanti twice in the opening minutes. Lazio struggled to create much going forward, with Klose largely isolated during a disappointing first half.
Bologna fashioned the best chance from a flowing team move on 28 minutes. Panagiotis Kone pulled the ball back into the box for Bianchi to backheel, but a lack of power allowed Berisha to save with his legs.
Keita Balde came on for the largely anonymous Anderson for the second half. Lazio were more adventurous after the break. A miskick from Cesare Natali almost turned an Antonio Candreva cross into his own net, before Cavanda's ball into the box was just a yard in front of Klose.
Diamanti remained the home side's main attacking threat. Midway through the second half, the talisman drove forward from the halfway line and shot wide from 25 yards. Lazio missed a guilt-edged chance on 70 minutes. Klose somehow turned over from point blank range, after Candreva's cross found the German for his first clear sight of goal.
The Lazio wall repelled a late Diamanti free kick and Lazaros Christodoulopoulos saw his rebound zip into Berisha's gloves from distance. Seven minutes from time, Diamanti pulled back for Kone to turn one last shot just past the post.
Bologna: Curci; Antonsson, Natali, Cherubin; (Cech 72) Garics, Christodoulopoulos, Pazienza, Kone, Morleo; (Krhin 80) Diamanti; Bianchi
Lazio: Berisha; Cavanda, Biava, Dias, Lulic; Candreva, (Ederson 72) Ledesma, Gonzalez, (Onazi 90) Hernanes, Anderson; (Keita 46) Klose