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Writer's pictureSimon Basten

January 12, 1997: Verona Lazio 1-1

Updated: Nov 8

Fish on Sunday but not enough


The Biancocelesti drew a match they should have won




Source Wikipedia

The season so far


The previous season Lazio had arrived third with an excellent final rush. A lot of players had left the club during the summer transfer window: Aron Winter (Inter), Alen Boksic (Juventus), Marco Di Vaio (loan to Bari), Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea) and Cristiano Bergodi (Padova). Coming in were defender Mark Fish (Orlando Pirates) who had played really well in the African Nations Cup, midfielders Roberto Baronio (Brescia), a rising star, Paul Okon (Club Bruges), Pavel Nedved (Sparta Prague) and forwards Renato Buso (Napoli) and last year’s top scorer, together with Beppe Signori, Igor Protti (Bari). Manager Zdeněk Zeman had been confirmed.


The first game of the season was the first round of the Coppa Italia. The Biancocelesti won at Avellino. In the UEFA Cup, Lazio were paired with Lens in the first round. There was history with the French club. In 1977 Lazio had won the first leg 2-0 at the Olimpico but in the return match after 90 minutes Lens were 2-0 up. In extra time the Biancocelesti were thrashed with Lens scoring 4 more goals. This time Lazio managed to win away with a goal from José Chamot and drew 1-1 at home. In the round of 32 the Biancocelesti had to face Tenerife and had won 1-0 at home, but they collapsed in the second leg.


Lazio had scored the opening goal, then fell behind twice but managed to come back only to melt away and lose 5-3. The Czech was the main culprit. Beppe Signori stated at the end of the game “Scoring three away goals, no team in the world would have been kicked out”. Diego Fuser was even more drastic: “This time it’s not the player’s fault, the blame must be sought elsewhere. As for the tactical attitude, ask the coach. It is useless to bring players who do not follow him in training. Those who do not listen must stay at home”. Had the Zeman bubble burst?


In campionato, Lazio did not have a good start and after ten games they were only 12th. But in the game prior to today’s match, they had thoroughly beaten Milan 3-0 and were now 7th, not too far off second placed Vicenza who were four points away.


The match: Sunday, January 12, 1997, Stadio Marc’ Antonio Bentegodi, Verona


Lazio had come into the game after a fantastic win against Milan so expectations were high. In the 19th minute Renato Buso had a chance when on the counterattack he managed to find himself unmarked on the left in front of Matteo Guardalben but after dribbling past the keeper his shot was touched by the keeper and Sebastiano Siviglia was able to clear on the line. In the 24th minute usual defensive blackout of the Lazio defence and Nicola Zanini had a clear path towards goal, but Luca Marchegiani managed to save. In the 33rd minute Lazio scored. On a corner taken by Signori after a Diego Fuser freekick had been parried by Guardalben, Gigi Casiraghi rose higher than all the Verona defence and headed a ball down for Fish who scored his first goal for the Biancocelesti. Towards the end of the first half Marco Baroni had the chance to equalise but his volley went over the crossbar.


In the second half Lazio were too long and opened up spaces for the Verona counter attack. Alessandro Manetti had a chance in front of Marchegiani in the 52nd minute, but the Biancoceleste keeper managed to parry. In the 61st minute Filippo Maniero was again all alone in front of Marchegiani, Paolo Negro from behind tried to harpoon the ball but fouled the Verona forward in the box. Penalty and Pierluigi Orlandini equalised.


In the 77th minute great ball from Pavel Nedved into the box, Casiraghi beat his marker and volleyed the ball onto the crossbar. Maniero had another chance on the counterattack but sent the ball out of the stadium.


Not a great match from Lazio, especially since seven days earlier they had played so well. The top of the table was now seven points away.


Who played for Verona

 

Guardalben, Fattori, Siviglia, Baroni, Vanoli, Orlandini (90' Ametrano), R. Bacci, Ficcadenti, L. Colucci, Maniero (83' De Vitis), Zanini (46' Manetti).

Substitutes: Landucci, Caverzan, Paganin, Ferrarese.

Manager: Cagni


Who played for Lazio


Substitutes: Orsi, Marcolin, Baronio, Franceschini, Piovanelli, Venturin

Manager: Zeman


Referee: Braschi


Goals: 33’ Fish, 61’ Orlandini (pen)



What happened next


After the Verona game Lazio lost at home to Juventus and then to Bologna. President Sergio Cragnotti sacked Zeman and called Dino Zoff to save the season. Zoff was President of the club at the time, but he left the presidency and put his tracksuit back on.


Zeman was heartbroken. After being fired Zeman said: “Without Lazio I’m a destroyed man, I have never done so badly. I’m disappointed but not with myself. I’ve always given everything I had to Lazio. I must have made a few mistakes: the main one was that I wasn’t convincing enough”.


In the 16 games under Zoff Lazio lost just twice, hence the team was not that bad. They managed to reach 4th place and a place in the following year’s UEFA Cup. A miracle.


Marchegiani was the player with most appearances (40) and Signori top goal scorer with 15 goals.


Lazio 1996-97

Season

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goals scored

Serie A

34

15

10

9

54

Coppa Italia

4

2

1

1

4

UEFA Cup

4

2

1

1

6

Total

42

19

12

11

64

Top five appearances

Players

Total

Serie A

Coppa Italia

UEFA Cup

Marchegiani

40

32

4

4

Signori

39

32

4

3

Fuser

38

31

3

4

Nedved

38

32

3

3

Rambaudi

36

28

4

4

Top five goal scorers

Players

Total

Serie A

Coppa Italia

UEFA Cup

Signori

15

15

-

-

Casiraghi

11

8

2

1

Nedved

10

7

1

2

Protti

7

7

-

-

Fuser

6

4

-

2

Let's talk about Mark Fish


Mark Anthony Fish was born in Cape Town on March 14, 1974. He started his career with the amateur team Arcadia Shepherds before he was noticed by Jomo Cosmos coach Roy Matthews and joined the Johannesburg club, becoming a professional. He started off as a striker but then was turned into a left back and became one of the most promising South African players at the time. In 1993 he signed for Orlando Pirates where he won the league championship and the 1996 CAF Super Cup. His rise to international fame came when South Africa, participating for the first time since their readmission to FIFA, won the African Cup of Nations.


He could have gone to Manchester United but he preferred to play in, at that time, a more competitive league and he signed for Lazio. He was the first South African to play in Serie A. Under Zeman he did not do too badly but when the Czech was sacked and replaced by Dino Zoff, he was often on the bench. In the end he made 17 appearances with one goal.


In the summer of 1997, he was loaned to Bologna, but the Rossoblu manager Renzo Ulivieri was not convinced and he returned to Lazio. At this point he was sold to Bolton Wanderers. At Bolton he was the highest paid player but despite some good performances they were relegated. He stayed and became a fan favourite making 103 league appearances. In 2000 he moved to Charlton Athletic and stayed until 2005 when he went out of favour at the club. He was loaned to Ipswich Town but played just 45 minutes before a severe cruciate ligament injury forced him to retire. In 2007 he did try a comeback with Jomo Cosmos but lacked the fitness to play.


Fish had an excellent international career with South Africa. He won the 1996 African Cup of Nations beating Tunisia in the final. He scored a goal against Algeria in the quarter finals. He was named in the Team of the Tournament both in 1996 and in 1998 where the South Africans lost in the final against Egypt. In the end he won 62 caps scoring twice.


Once he stopped playing, he became manager of Thanda Royal Zulu but was sacked after four months.


At Lazio, Fish was a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps he was a little too slow for Serie A. Also, to be considered is that at home he was a leader while in Italy he was merely one of the team and he probably suffered this fact.


Lazio Career

Season

Total appearances (goals)

Serie A

Coppa Italia

UEFA Cup

1996-97

24 (1)

19 (1)

3

2

Sources


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