Climbing up

Updated: 3 days ago

1997-98 Season

Game 21, Serie A

Sunday February 15, 1998

Stadio San Nicola, Bari

Bari Lazio 0-2

Lazio win and now the unbeaten games are 13.

Since the controversial loss against Juventus in early December, Lazio had 7 wins and two draws in Serie A, thrashed Roma in Coppa Italia and won a game in the UEFA Cup.

Lazio were joint third with Udinese, just three points away from second place.

The match

Lazio had to face Bari without Pavel Nedved, Matias Almeyda, Diego Fuser, Paolo Negro and Alen Boksic so this was going to be a good test to see how deep the Lazio squad was in the terms of quality players.

In the 3rd minute Vladimir Jugovic took a free kick that was well saved by Franco Mancini. Seven minutes later, Diego De Ascentis brought down Guerino Gottardi in the box and for the referee it was a penalty. No problem for Jugovic who made it 1-0 for Lazio.

Beppe Pancaro had a chance immediately after. Corner for Lazio, the Bari goalkeeper missed the ball completely, Pancaro however could only shoot wide. From then on Bari began to put pressure on the Lazio defence and former Lazio player Thomas Doll was particularly motivated, but the Biancocelesti never really had to suffer much apart from a Miguel Angel Guerrero attempt from a favourable position but went it miles from goal.

The second half followed the same script as the first, with the Lazio defence comfortably reducing risks to a minimum. In the 89th minute Bari could have changed everything. Klas Ingesson had the chance to hammer the ball in from very close range and equalise, but his shot hit the crossbar. Ball to Lazio who counterattacked. Jugovic flew into the box on the left and offered a comfortable tap-in to Roberto Rambaudi. 2-0 and game over.

Lazio were still third but now by themselves and the number of consecutive games without losing increased to 13.

Who played for Bari

F. Mancini, De Rosa, Scala, Neqrouz, De Ascentis (46' Manighetti), Marcolini (46' Giorgetti), Ingesson, Volpi, Zambrotta (64' Allback), Doll, Guerrero

Substitutes: Gentili, Campi, Bressan, Sordo

Manager: Fascetti

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Pancaro, Nesta (92’ Grandoni), G. Lopez, Chamot, Gottardi, Venturin, Jugovic, Marcolin (84’ Favalli), Casiraghi, R. Mancini (72’ Rambaudi)