Game 24, Serie A
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Atalanta 2-1
A Liverani goal a minute from time gives Lazio crucial three points
In Serie A things did not go well. In the first 16 games Lazio won four, drew five and lost seven. They had 17 points, just four clear of relegation zone. They were clearly in difficulty: badly organised, no game plan, problems between manager Domenico Caso and Paolo Di Canio and poor quality of some of the players. Furthermore, the Biancocelesti were eliminated in the UEFA Cup group stage, without winning a match, and were also out of the Coppa Italia beaten by Cagliari on away goals.
So, just before Christmas, President Claudio Lotito called another former player, Giuseppe Papadopulo, to manage Lazio. He was seen as more apt to lead the Biancocelesti to safety. The task was immediately uphill since his first game was the derby, but amazingly Lazio won 3-1 and then again in Florence in the next match, but that was followed by just one point in the next five games.
A win today would be fundamental.
The match
Lazio were forced to play without César, Fernando Couto, Di Canio and Antonio Filippini. The large number of injuries had been a constant this season.
The Biancocelesti started well. In the 3rd minute Fabio Bazzani, who had arrived on loan in the January transfer window, had a chance on a low cross from the right from Emanuele Filippini but his effort was saved by Massimo Taibi. After twenty minutes, in which Lazio had trouble once in Atalanta's half, a Fabio Liverani cross on a free kick was hand-balled in the box by Luigi Sala but according to the ref Bazzani had pushed the Bergamo defender. In the 27th minute Angelo Peruzzi was forced off injured and substituted by Matteo Sereni. Not a lot happened apart from a few sporadic attempts from both sides. In the 37th minute Tommaso Rocchi tried a volley but it was well saved by Taibi.
After a boring first 44 minutes, the game suddenly came alive. With one minute to go Stephen Makinwa from a corner kick, taken by Antonino Bernardini, completely unmarked headed the ball past Sereni giving Atalanta the lead. Sixty seconds later, Sebastiano Siviglia sent a long ball into the penalty box, Taibi went for an improbable save and was anticipated by Bazzani for Lazio’s equaliser.
Taibi was replaced in the interval by Alex Calderoni.
Having experienced a couple of minutes of fireworks, spectators might have thought they were in for an exciting second half. They were wrong. Not much happened. A Rocchi volley went wide, Calderoni tried to gift Lazio a goal by catching the ball and then stepping back very close to the line. In the 30th minute a splendid shot from Bazzani outside the box, great save from the keeper.
As the game was coming to a close, the Biancocelesti scored. Cross inside the box, an Atalanta defender cleared, Massimo Oddo reached the ball on the far right of the penalty area, low cross, Liverani controlled and beat Calderoni.
Fundamental win for Lazio in a very complicated and difficult match.
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi (27’ Sereni), Siviglia, Giannichedda, Talamonti, Oddo, Dabo, Liverani, E. Filippini, Seric (65’ Muzzi), Bazzani, Rocchi (88’ Pandev)
Substitutes: Zaccardi, Zauri, Manfredini, E.Gonzalez
Manager: Papadopulo
Who played for Atalanta
Taibi (46' Calderoni), Rivalta, Sala, Capelli, Motta, Mingazzini, Bernardini (61' Montolivo), Marcolini, Bellini, Lazzari, Makinwa (78' Sinigaglia)
Substitutes: Innocenti, Adriano, M. Stendardo, Pagano
Manager: D. Rossi
Referee: Brighi
Goals: 44’ Makinwa, 45’ Bazzani, 89’ Liverani
Sources
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