Good win to start but flattering score line

Season 2008-09

Game 1, Serie A

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari

Cagliari Lazio 1-4

Lazio struggle and fall behind but turn game around after red card and penalty

Lazio had already played a round of Coppa Italia defeating Benevento 5-1 at the Olimpico but now things got serious.

A difficult game to predict today, a classic 1x2 with the heat possibly playing a role too.

The match

A sweltering afternoon in Cagliari with a temperature of 33 degrees. A crowd of about 15,000 turned up, many possibly preferring the nearby beautiful beaches before September set in.

Cagliari played with ten players from the previous season, the exception being Marchetti in goal. Lazio on the other hand played with five new players.

Cagliari immediately looked slicker and more organised. Despite the Sardinians superiority, Lazio did have a good move in the 8th minute. A good one-two between Mauro Zarate and Goran Pandev which set the Argentine up for a shot but it went just wide. A hopeful Stephan Lichtsteiner long range effort, comfortably stopped by Marchetti, was the only other thing Lazio offered in the first half.

Cagliari instead were constantly threatening. In the 24th minute Joaquín Larrivey hit the post from a Jeda cross with Juan Pablo Carrizo beaten. The Argentine keeper looked hesitant and made several mistakes coming off his line. On one he was saved by David Rozehnal on Daniele Conti (legendary Roma player Bruno's son) but generally looked shaky.

In the 31st minute "Casteddu" went in front. A good Andrea Cossu through ball found Larrivey who chested it down, went past Aleksandar Kolarov and beat Carrizo with a low left foot on the far post. Cagliari 1 Lazio 0. A deserved lead so far.

For the second half Rossi (via assistant Angelo Crialesi) had to change something and went for Pasquale Foggia in replacement of Cristian Brocchi.

In the first fifteen minutes Lazio gave no signs of life but then the game suddenly changed in the 61st minute. Zarate teed up Stefano Mauri who beat the offside trap and shot, Marchetti parried but only as far as Pandev whose shot was saved but by defender Lopez' arm. Penalty and red card for the Uruguayan defender. Zarate took it and despite slipping slightly beat Marchetti with a medium height strike to the keeper's right. Cagliari 1 Lazio 1.

The Sardinians then took off midfielder Andrea Cossu for a more defensive Daniele Magliocchetti. Lazio suddenly smelt blood and attacked. In the 71st it was the Cagliari replacement whose mistake enabled Zarate to lob Marchetti sublimely and give Lazio the lead. Cagliari 1 Lazio 2.

Cagliari then replaced defender Michele Canini with slightly more offensive Andrea Lazzari to try and salvage the increasingly negative situation.

Lazio were rampant and four minutes later scored again. Kolarov crossed from the by-line to Foggia who scored from close range but did not celebrate in respect for his former fans despite being whistled during the game. Cagliari 1 Lazio 3.

Cagliari tried a last change and in the 78th minute threw on striker Alessandro Matri for Jeda.

There was no stopping Lazio now though and in the 89th minute Lazio made it four. Foggia worked a ball well in the area, winning a challenge, then squared to Pandev who despite being back to the goal turned and beat Marchetti for the fourth time. Cagliari 1 Lazio 4.

Pandev then went off substituted by Christian Manfredini and Zarate by Stephen Makinwa. The game was over anyway, one in which up to the 60th minute Lazio were absent but then an episode had sparked an emphatic win albeit with a flattering score line considering the afternoon's events. A promising debut by Zarate but less so by Carrizo.

Who played for Cagliari

Marchetti, Pisano (74' Lazzari), Lopez, Canini, Agostini, Conti, Fini, Biondini, Cossu (64' Magliocchetti), Jeda (78' Matri), Larrivey

Substitutes: Aresti, Acquafresca, Ferri, Parola

Manager: Allegri

Who played for Lazio

Carrizo, Lichtsteiner, Siviglia, Rozenhal, Kolarov, Brocchi (46' Foggia), Ledesma, Matuzalem, Mauri, Zarate (92' Makinwa), Pandev (89' Manfredini)