Game 18, Serie A
Sunday, January 8, 2006
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Ascoli 4-1
No contest between Lazio and Ascoli even if the Biancocelesti were down one zero after 15 minutes.
Lazio had European ambition and their start in Serie A was a good one with four wins in the first seven games. Very strong at home but away from home they were unable to switch their defensive mentality to a more attacking one. This meant that Lazio suffered away from home and against the big teams and when things were not working team-wise, there was trouble. From the 8th game to the 16th Lazio won only twice.
Lazio needed to beat Ascoli even if Ousmane Dabo was suspended, and Cesar and Valon Behrami out injured.
The match
Ascoli started really well and Pasquale Foggia, who would become a Lazio player later in the year, created havoc on the Lazio left wing. Luciano Zauri often found himself alone against two opponents. In the 14th minute Ascoli scored. Gianluca Comotto’s long cross was collected by Michele Fini who passed it to Roberto Guana outside the penalty box but central. His shot could not be saved and it was 1-0 for Ascoli.
Lazio reorganised and Rossi made a tactical change to give the team more balance. Christian Manfredini was moved to the left to help Zauri and Goran Pandev to the right.
Lazio equalised almost immediately after. Paolo Di Canio passed back to Fabio Liverani who sent a long ball to the right to Pandev. His cross was perfect and Di Canio made it 1-1.
Six minutes later Lazio went ahead. Pandev reached Tommaso Rocchi in the penalty box, his shot was saved by Ferdinando Coppola but the ball was hammered in by Gabi Mudingayi, his first and only goal for Lazio.
In the second half Fabio Quagliarella had a chance helped by a hesistant Emilson Cribari, but his shot went wide. However, Lazio were relentless. Rocchi crossed for Di Canio but his header was stopped on the line by Maurizio Domizzi (if there had been a goal-line technology it would have probably been goal). A minute later Pandev hit the woodwork. In the 73rd minute Lazio closed the game. Pandev headed in a cross from Mudingayi.
There was glory even for Igli Tare in the 80th minute. Massimo Oddo crossed the ball into the penalty box, Tare controlled it and with a scissor kick scored a spectacular goal. Game over.
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Oddo, Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri, Manfredini, Liverani, Mudingayi (78’ Baronio), Pandev, Di Canio (54’ Belleri), Rocchi (68’ Tare)
Substitutes: Ballotta, Stendardo, Giallombardo, S. Inzaghi
Manager: D. Rossi
Who played for Ascoli
Coppola, Comotto, Paci, Domizzi, Tosto, Foggia, Guana (82' Biso), Parola, Fini (79' Cariello), Bjelanovic, Quagliarella (79' Ferrante)
Substitutes: Zotti, Carbone, Adani, Guglielmello
Manager: Giampaolo
Referee: Stefanini
Goals: 14' Guana, 28' Di Canio, 34' Mudingayi, 73' Pandev, 80' Tare
Sources:
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