3rd Round, Coppa Italia
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Benevento 5-1
Lazio struggle for almost an hour but helped by three own goals see off battling Sorcerers
The league would start on August 31 but before there was this 3rd round of Coppa Italia to play.
In theory no more than a training match for Lazio but all games have to be played with concentration and won.
The match: Saturday, August 23, 2008, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
This August evening cup game did not bring in a big crowd, about 10,000 and at least 3,000 were from Benevento.
Lazio were without Tommaso Rocchi and Stefan Radu plus Aleksandar Kolarov suspended.
Lazio showed their superiority from the start but the Sanniti were unlucky to fall behind so early on. In the 9th minute in a crowded area the ball went back and forth until it came off defender Cattaneo and ended up in the back of the net. Lazio 1 Benevento 0.
The "Stregoni" (The Sorcerers) however looked organised and up for a fight and in the 13th minute Felice Evacuo took advantage of a David Rozehnal mistake and raced forward but was challenged by Juan Pablo Carrizo. In the impact Evacuo got injured and was forced off on a stretcher replaced by Bueno, a pity for the former Lazio player.
Lazio doubled their lead a little fortuitously in the 23rd minute. Mourad Meghni tried his luck from about 25 metres out and his shot took a deflection off Ignoffo and beat Gori. Lazio 2 Benevento 0.
Benevento had chances to change their bad luck but Carrizo saved on Bueno and Palermo. Halftime Lazio led by two goals but were far from dominating.
For the second half the hosts brought on Emilson Cribari for Sebastiano Siviglia and Christian Manfredini for an injured Meghni.
The Giallorossi visitors got a deserved goal almost immediately. In the 48th minute Palermo shot, Carrizo saved but Bueno was ready for the tap-in. Lazio 2 Benevento 1 and the Sorcerers back in it.
In fact, the Stregoni almost equalised soon after when De Liguori hit the post. At this point Lazio seemed to change gear and in three minutes practically closed the contest.
In the 54th minute a Manfredini header hit the post and then the keeper before going in and then three minutes later Goran Pandev made it 4-1, slotting in a hesitant clearance by the keeper on a cross.
The Macedonian scored again in the last minute to excessively punish the Campani who had played well and battled hard for almost an hour. It was a good goal though as Pandev weaved his way past two defenders and put the ball in the top hand corner. Lazio 5 Benevento 1.
Not a particularly convincing performance by Lazio who despite the final score line had struggled for long periods against the 3rd tier opponents. Hopefully the return of forward Tommaso Rocchi and a fit Mauro Zarate would give some spark to Lazio's play.
Who played for Lazio
Carrizo, De Silvestri, Siviglia (46' Cribari), Rozehnal, Lichtsteiner, Ledesma, Matuzalem, Meghni (46' Manfredini), Mauri (73' Foggia), Pandev, Makinwa
Manager: Rossi (Crialesi on bench due to Rossi's suspension)
Who played for Benevento
Gori, Cattaneo, Ferraro, Ignoffo, Colombini, Palermo, Cejas, De Liguori, Imbriani (51' Statella), Evacuo (13' Bueno), Castaldo (72' Clemente)
Substitutes: Doardo, Gregori, D.Cinelli, Tesser
Manager: Papagni
Referee: Trefoloni
Goals: 9' Cattaneo (og), 22' Meghni, 48' Bueno, 54' Manfredini, 57' Pandev, 90' Pandev
Sources
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