Game 33, Serie A
Sunday, May 7, 2000
Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna
Bologna Lazio 2-3
The Biancocelesti get the win but go into the last game still two points behind Juventus
In Serie A this season Lazio were currently in 2nd place, two points behind leaders Juventus. The match this afternoon was possibly the last chance to catch the "Zebras" who had a difficult game at home to 5th place Parma. Anything other than a win would basically end the Biancocelesti's Scudetto hopes.
The match
A muggy, cloudy day saw about 35,000 spectators present, at least 15,000 from Rome.
Lazio had Sinisa Mihajlovic, Alen Boksic and Simone Inzaghi unavailable while Bologna were without defender Michele Paramatti, midfielders Davide Fontolan and Eriberto.
Lazio started on the attack but the first chance fell to Bologna. In the 2nd minute former Lazio idol Beppe Signori put Andersson through on goal but Luca Marchegiani came out low and saved. In the impact with the big Swede, Marchegiani injured his shoulder and was forced off, replaced by Marco Ballotta.
In the 14th minute Jonatan Binotto fired just wide from the long range following a corner and tried again a minute later but with the same result.
Lazio grew into the game and in the 15th minute Juan Sebastian Veron curled a dangerous freekick round the wall but Gianluca Pagliuca saved well.
Lazio seemed to have quelled Bologna's initial surge and in the 25th minute took the lead. Roberto Mancini beat the offside trap and reached the right by-line where he put in a low cross, the ball was contested by Marcelo Salas and a defender and trickled back to Sergio Conceição who had no difficulty in slotting it in with a low right foot. Bologna 0 Lazio 1.
At the moment Juventus vs Parma was still 0-0 so a playoff would be on the cards.
Bologna were up for a game however, and Alessandro Nesta had to anticipate Signori with a lunging, sliding tackle. In the 39th minute however Beppe-gol was unstoppable. Teed up by Giancarlo Marocchi centrally, he slipped between Fernando Couto and Beppe Pancaro and coolly beat Ballotta with a left-footed strike on the far post. A great goal and Bologna 1 Lazio 1.
Back to square one and no playoff.
Lazio reacted well and had two dangerous Veron shots saved by Pagliuca and then Alessandro Dal Canto almost put the ball in his own net from a Veron corner. Halftime Bologna 1 Lazio 1.
A fair result so far.
For the second half, Lazio replaced midfielder Conceição with a striker Fabrizio Ravanelli as they had no alternative but to win.
Lazio went forward but without creating any real scoring opportunities apart from Ravanelli being anticipated outside the area by Pagliuca.
In the 60th minute bad news came through on the radios, Juventus had scored with a Del Piero goal. The Bianconeri were now four points ahead and had virtually won the scudetto.
A few minutes later hope was revived. In the 63rd minute Veron curled a freekick into the area where Diego Simeone headed past Pagliuca. Bologna 1 Lazio 2.
At this point Lazio were in control. Veron had another low curling freekick saved on the near post and in the 67th shot high from the long range.
In the 70th minute Lazio practically closed the game. Mancini fed Pancaro down the left wing and his perfect cross was met by "El Matador" Salas on the far post where he outjumped Massimo Paganin and beat Pagliuca. Bologna 1 Lazio 3.
Lazio could have scored again with Salas but first he lost the moment after being set up by Mancini in front of goal and then he had a header go wide from a corner. Salas then scored in the 84th minute but it was disallowed for a dubious offside.
In the 89th minute a hesitant Couto lost his man Signori who blasted a close range left foot into the roof of the net. Signori, as after his first goal, did not celebrate but Lazio now had to be careful, Bologna 2 Lazio 3.
At this moment, just when Lazio were kicking off again, a huge roar came from the Lazio supporters end, news had come that Parma's Fabio Cannavaro had equalised in Turin. The joy was short-lived as the goal, as would be discovered later, was inexplicably disallowed. The defender had headed in from a corner. There was no offside, no foul, the ball had not gone out… an absolute mystery. To this day no-one understands why it was not given. Well there is theory but it has nothing to do with fair play or equal opportunities...
In Bologna, once the illusion had faded, Lazio played out the last five minutes of added time without running any particular risks. Final score Bologna 2 Lazio 3.
In the second half Lazio had deserved the win and their stronger motivations came out. There was satisfaction but also frustration as more details of the events from Turin emerged.
The table read Juventus 71 Lazio 69. There was one game to go, Juventus played Perugia away while Lazio had Reggina at home. Perugia the previous year had put up no resistance whatsoever against Milan so there was not much optimism but you never know sometimes miracles happen....
Who played for Bologna
Pagliuca, Falcone, Bia, Paganin (86' Gamberini), Dal Canto, Binotto (70' Goretti), Ingesson, Marocchi (90' Kolyvanov), Nervo, K.Andersson, Signori
Substitutes: Orlandoni, Wome, Zé Elias, Ventola
Manager: Guidolin
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani (3' Ballotta), Negro, Nesta, Couto, Pancaro, Conceição (46' Ravanelli), Simeone (86' Sensini), Veron, Nedved, Salas, Mancini
Manager: Eriksson
Referee: Messina
Goals: 25' Conceição, 39' Signori, 63' Simeone, 75' Salas, 89' Signori
Sources
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