Game 9, Serie A
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
Inter Lazio 1-1
Against the mighty Inter, Lazio manage to equalize towards the end of the game thanks to Talamonti
In Serie A it had not been easy, but in 8 games Lazio had managed to win 3 (two in the first 3 games) and draw 2. They were 8th.
Today was a difficult match against former manager Roberto Mancini.
The match
Lazio went into the game against their great former manager with nine players injured as well as with the knowledge that defeat was probably inevitable. Inter were full of Lazio's 2000 scudetto players: Sinisa Mihajlovic, Beppe Favalli, Juan Sebastian Veron and Dejan Stankovic. A tough match.
In the 10th minute there was a free kick for the home team. Zė Maria, from a rather angled position, tried to surprise Matteo Sereni by shooting towards the front post instead of crossing. The trajectory was made even more dangerous by a Massimo Oddo deflection but the Lazio keeper miraculously saved.
Inter were not playing well and the ultra-defensive Lazio were giving them a headache. In the 24th minute Favalli was forced off through injury and replaced by Diego Zanetti. Since the Neroazzurri were inoffensive, the Biancocelesti tried to move a little forward and in the 37th minute a great Christian Manfredini free kick deflected by Emre Belözoğlu was saved with some difficulty by Alberto Fontana. In the 41st minute Lazio’s big chance. Goran Pandev beat Mihajlovic for speed on a counter attack, ball to Antonio Filippini just inside the box but central but his shot went wide.
In the first minute of the second half a Mihajlovic classic. Not a free kick but a long pass from Inter’s half to Adriano, Lazio’s defence were taken by surprise, and the Brazilian beat Sereni.
The home side were now more relaxed and the Biancocelesti in massive trouble. The Lazio keeper was heavily bombarded by Veron and Emre but the team managed to avoid opening the floodgates. Then, the miracle. In the 86th minute a free kick for Lazio on the right. Oddo crossed, Leonardo Talamonti anticipated Mihajlovic and headed the ball past Fontana.
Inter reacted with rage. Alvaro Recoba first hit the crossbar on a free kick in the 86th minute, then in injury time he had the chance to score in front of Sereni but his shot went too high.
Final score 1-1. It was just a point, but seeing Mancini seething with rage was like a win for some fans.
Who played for Inter
Fontana, Cordoba, Mihajlovic, Favalli (24' J. Zanetti), Zè Maria, Cambiasso, Veron, Emre (77' Stankovic), Davids, Cruz (63' Recoba), Adriano
Substitutes: Toldo, Materazzi, C. Zanetti, Martins
Manager: Mancini
Who played for Lazio
Sereni, Oddo, Talamonti, Fernando Couto, Oscar Lopez (80’ Delgado), Dabo, Giannichedda, Manfredini, Pandev (64’ De Sousa), A. Filippini (58’ Seric), Rocchi
Substitutes: Casazza, Sannibale, Mea Vitali, E.Gonzalez
Manager: Caso
Referee: Trefoloni
Goals: 46’ Adriano, 84’ Talamonti
Sources
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