Mancini to the rescue but not Roberto

1997-98 Season

Game 4, Serie A

Saturday, September 27, 1997

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Bari 3-2

A poor and presumptuous Lazio overturn match in injury time with some help by former keeper

Lazio's season in Serie A had started well with a 2-0 home win over Napoli on August 31. It had continued positively with a 1-1 away draw with Milan but then had come a shock 0-1 defeat at Empoli (with a goal by future Lazio assistant manager Giovanni Martusciello). Lazio were currently joint 8th on 4 points.

The Biancocelesti were ambitious this year. They really had to win today to pull themselves up into a loftier position in the table and keep pace with the front runners.

The match

Ticket owned by Dag Jenkins. Photo by Dag Jenkins

This Saturday night game attracted about 45,000 to the Olimpico.

Lazio had a few absences, defender José Antonio Chamot plus midfielders Vladimir Jugovic and Matias Almeyda. Bari were without defender Luigi Garzya and former Lazio midfielder Thomas Doll. The "Pugliesi' were very covered up, starting with only Nicola Ventola up front and an extremely padded midfield.

Lazio started off very aggressively. In the first minutes Alen Boksic set up Gigi Casiraghi who headed down towards goal but Franco Mancini flew to his left and parried well near the post.

In the 6th minute Lazio took the lead. A powerful long range shot by Pavel Nedved was touched but let in by Mancini who should have done better. Lazio 1 Bari 0.

Lazio now had the perfect tactical situation but did not take advantage. They were in control and attacked but rarely threatened again. They were then punished just before halftime when a Sergio Volpi freekick took a deflection off Giorgio Venturin and wrong-footed Luca Marchegiani. Lazio 1 Bari 1.

For the second half Lazio replaced Giuseppe Favalli with Paolo Negro and then in the 55th Giuseppe Signori came on for an out of sorts Boksic. In the 58th minute, amid general indifference, Bari replaced Rachid Neqrouz with Roberto Ripa.

Three minutes later the substitute announced his arrival by scoring. In the 61st minute, on a corner from the left, the defender jumped undisturbed in the crowded area and headed home. Lazio 1 Bari 2.

From this point on it was all out attack by Lazio. They had their chances but Mancini saved well on a Signori lob, Casiraghi's header hit the bar and Signori put the seemingly easy rebound wide.

In the 87th minute Phil Masinga, who had replaced Ventola with 20 minutes to go, got himself foolishly sent off for a foul followed by a petulant and futile reaction. This gave Lazio even more belief and energy and it all happened in injury time.

In the 91st minute Roberto Rambaudi, who had replaced Giorgio Venturin for the last fifteen-minute siege, earned a free kick at the edge of the box. Roberto Mancini rolled the ball to oncoming Signori who blasted a medium height missile into the left of the goal. Lazio 2 Bari 2. Relief for the Biancocelesti but the best was yet to come.

In the 94th minute Nedved on the left inside the area, tried his luck with a low left foot towards the front post. And lucky he got as Franco Mancini dived down but fumbled the ball which then hit the post and sneaked in. Lazio 3 Bari 2.

An unhoped last gasp win for Lazio. It was not totally undeserved despite coming in the dying moments but there was no denying Lazio had not played well. They had two goalkeeper mistakes to thank and would have to improve if they wanted to realistically challenge for the top positions.

Bari had been unlucky, had it not been for a shaky goalkeeper, a naive late sending off and a dubious 91st minute freekick decision they could easily have taken a point, if not all three, back to Puglia.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Pancaro, Nesta, G. Lopez, Favalli (46' Negro), Fuser, Venturin (74' Rambaudi), Nedved, R. Mancini, Casiraghi, Boksic (55' Signori)