Game 17, Serie A
Sunday, January 19, 1992
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Cagliari 2-1
Lazio score early in both halves but Cagliari make Lazio work hard for the two points
So far Lazio had played 16 league games. They had won 5, drawn 8 (including the derby, Milan and Juventus, all 1-1) and lost 3, so had 18 points. A similar pattern to the previous campaign.
Cagliari had won 3, drawn 5 and lost 8. The Rossoblu had 11 points.
Lazio had only lost once at home (Inter 0-1) and Cagliari were winless away from home. The Biancocelesti were hoping to return to winning ways today but knew it would not be easy.
The match
A pale winter sun and about 35,000 spectators welcomed the players to the Olimpico.
Lazio had no injury problems while the Sardinians were without José Herrera, Gianluca Gaudenzi and, above all, Daniel Fonseca.
Lazio started well and after only four minutes took the lead. It was a Thomas Doll gem; the German went past Aldo Firicano at the edge of the box and unleashed a cracking right foot into the top hand corner. A wonderful goal and a dream start for the Biancocelesti. Lazio 1 Cagliari 0.
All easy for Lazio? No, Cagliari reacted and put Lazio in difficulty despite never forcing Valerio Fiori into any difficult saves.
In the 13th minute Lazio lost defender Gigi Corino through injury and he was replaced by Claudio Vertova.
As mentioned, Cagliari battled, Antonio Criniti cut in on the right along the by-line but his shot hit the side-netting. Enzo Francescoli had a free kick from just outside the area but hit the wall. Gianfrnco Matteoli then found Stefano Mobili inside the area on the left but he blasted it out from a difficult angle.
Lazio were error strewn in midfield and untidy in their passing. The last chance of the first half, however, was Biancoceleste. On a long high cross from the left Rubén Sosa let it go over his head and then on the bounce turned and shot but with his wrong foot and the ball trickled across the goal mouth and out. Half time Lazio 1 Cagliari 0.
Lazio deservedly ahead if only for Doll's superb goal.
For the second half Lazio replaced a subdued Claudio Sclosa with a hopefully livelier Giovanni Stroppa.
Stroppa did not disappoint, first he jiggled his way past three defenders and was pushed over inside the area but for the referee it was nothing. In the 49th minute he put a perfect ball through the Cagliari defence, Sosa ran onto it and from just inside the area lobbed the keeper to double Lazio’s lead. Lazio 2 Cagliari 0.
Cagliari however did not give up and from then on attacked constantly. Mobili had a thundering long-range effort go just wide, Criniti was blocked by a last-ditch tackle, Criniti again went round Fiori but lost the moment to shoot and then Mauro Nardini had a powerful left footed shot saved into corner by Fiori. Four chances in ten minutes.
From the corner however Cagliari scored. The visitors took a short corner and then crossed for Francescoli who headed it back into the middle where Napoli volleyed it in. Lazio 2 Cagliari 1. A deserved goal for the islanders who now believed they could take something home to Sardinia after all.
Criniti had a good run but inside the area on the right comically missed the ball and collapsed to the ground (probably a bad bounce). Nicolò Napoli then had a low long range shot but Fiori dived to his right and parried into corner. Francescoli then curled a freekick round the wall but again Fiori saved low near the post.
In the 75th minute Cagliari tried to regain the upper hand by putting on another striker, Andrea Pistella for defender Matteo Villa.
By now, however, Lazio had control of the game and went extremely close to a third goal. Stroppa again put a precise ball over the Cagliari defence where Sosa chested it down but then incredibly blasted it over the bar from close range.
Before the final whistle there was still time for a Lazio player, Vertova, to be sent off for dissent. Cagliari had no more energy and Lazio clinched two hard earned points.
An evenly balanced game won by Lazio. A draw would not have been a scandal but Lazio had more quality in the end with Doll and Stroppa standing out. Doll's goal for the statistics was Lazio’s goal number 2,000 in their 192-year history.
Who played for Lazio
Fiori, Bergodi, Sergio, Pin, Corino (13' Vertova), Soldà, Bacci, Doll, Riedle, Sclosa (46' Stroppa), Sosa
Manager: Zoff
Who played for Cagliari
Ielpo, M. Villa (75' Pistella), Festa, N. Napoli, Firicano, Mobili, Bisoli, Nardini, Francescoli, Matteoli, Criniti
Substitutes: Di Bitonto, Chiti, Greco, Corellas
Manager: Mazzone
Referee: Amendolia
Goals: 4' Doll, 49' Sosa, 59' N. Napoli
Sources
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