Game 6, Champions League Second Group Phase
Wednesday, March 22, 2000
Stamford Bridge Stadium, London
Chelsea Lazio 1-2
A fantastic Mihajlovic free kick gives Lazio the qualification to the Champions League quarter finals
The 1999-00 Champions League saw Lazio participate for the very first time. In the 1974-75 season Lazio should have played the European Cup but had been disqualified following the brawl with Ipswich Town players in the UEFA Cup earlier the previous season.
Lazio were grouped with Bayer Leverkusen, Dynamo Kiev and Maribor and their first match was away against the Germans where the Biancocelesti managed to clinch a draw thanks to a Sinisa Mihajlovic free kick.
The second game was at home against the Ukranians and Lazio managed to turn the match around and win, despite being 1-0 down following a ridiculous penalty awarded to Dynamo Kiev, with goals from Paolo Negro and Marcelo Salas.
The double game against Maribor saw Lazio win 4-0 both at home (with goals from Simone Inzaghi, Sergio Conceição and a Salas double) and away (Mihajlovic, Dejan Stankovic and Inzaghi double). First place was secured with a 1-1 draw at home against Leverkusen (Pavel Nedved goal) and a win away at Kiev for 1-0 (Ramiz Mamedov og).
The second part of the Champions League was another group phase, this time against Chelsea, Olympique Marseille and Feyenoord.
The first game was away in France and Lazio won comfortably 2-0 with goals from Stankovic and Conceição. The next game was at home against the Londoners and finished with an “over friendly” goalless draw.
The match at home to Feyenoord was supposed to be the easiest one but was dramatically underestimated by Sven Goran Eriksson who decided to rest slightly too many key players. Lazio went ahead in the first half with Juan Sebastian Veron, but a Jon Tomasson double put Lazio’s hopes of qualification to the quarterfinals in dangerous threat. After three games, Feyenoord were first with 6 points, Chelsea and Lazio second on four, OM on 3.
A win in Holland was vital but Lazio played terribly and could not do better than a 0-0. Chelsea beat Olympique and now had seven points just like the Dutch, Lazio were trailing on five.
Lazio destroyed OM 5-1 with four goals from Inzaghi and one from Alen Boksic in the next game, but Chelsea won in Rotterdam and were now on 10 points, with Lazio second on 8, Feyenoord on 7.
Lazio had to win at Stamford Bridge to clinch the qualification first (the top two teams went through) and the top spot as a bonus so they could avoid having to play the quarter final against Barcelona, Manchester United or Bayern.
The match
A very entertaining match in London. Chelsea were already qualified for the quarterfinals but needed a draw to maintain first place, Lazio needed to win. A draw would mean that the Biancocelesti would have to hope that Feyenoord did not win in Marseilles.
Lazio started the game well and had a number of chances in the first half. In the 3rd minute Pavel Nedved crossed from the left, Simone Inzaghi’s scissor kick was saved by Ed de Goeij. The Chelsea goalkeeper had to repeat himself four minutes later on a Juan Sebastian Veron shot from outside the box. In the 9th minute Gianfranco Zola’s shot was saved into corner by Luca Marchegiani.
In the 29th minute Inzaghi was unable to convert a tap in following a Sinisa Mihajlovic free kick saved by de Goeij and in the 41st minute the Lazio forward headed the ball wide after a perfect Nedved cross.
Chelsea scored in the 44th minute. Mihajlovic headed the ball towards the goal line, Didier Dechamps anticipated Nedved, ball to Gustavo Poyet who had all the time to advance and shoot. Impossible for Marchegiani to save the shot and 1-0 for the Londoners.
In the second half Eriksson sent in Alen Boksic who had a chance after two minutes, but his shot went wide. Seven minutes later Lazio equalised. Inzaghi stole a ball on the right and passed it to Boksic, the Croat saw Diego Simeone just outside the box on the right and passed it to him. Simeone to Nedved on the left who went into the box, reached the goal line and crossed. Inzaghi anticipated Marcel Desailly and tapped the ball in.
A draw may not be enough and Lazio went for the kill. Free kick on the left in the 66th minute. Mihajlovic on the ball. Everybody was expecting a cross from that position, but the Serb aimed for the top corner on the other side over the goalkeeper. He did just that, ball from the left into the top right hand corner, 2-1 for Lazio.
Lazio were too strong for Chelsea, but as we fans know, the Biancocelesti like to make things difficult for themselves. Fernando Couto got a second yellow card with seven minutes to go and Chelsea charged forward. In the 87th minute Dan Petrescu had a massive chance, his shot from inside the penalty box on the right beat Marchegiani but not Paolo Negro who was able to clear the ball on the line.
Lazio won a dramatic game and went through to the quarterfinals.
Who played for Chelsea
De Goeij, Ferrer, Desailly, Leboeuf (62' Hogh), Babayaro (74' Harley), Petrescu, Di Matteo (74' Morris), Deschamps, Poyet, Flo, Zola
Substitutes: Cudicini, Sutton, Ambrosetti, Thome
Manager: Vialli
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Negro, Couto, Mihajlovic, Pancaro, Simeone, Almeyda, Veron, Stankovic (46’ Boksic), Nedved, S. Inzaghi (68’ Salas, 87’ Gottardi)
Manager: Eriksson
Referee: Melo Pereira
Goals: 44’ Poyet, 54’ Inzaghi, 66 Mihajlovic
Sources
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