Game 26, Serie A
Saturday, February 27, 2005
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Fiorentina 1-1
A Siviglia beauty is not enough as young Brazilian equalises in injury time
Lazio had started well winning the first two games of the season but then things went downhill. A week before today's match, Lazio had lost 1-3 away at Palermo. The situation was worrying, Lazio were 16th only two points above Livorno who were 18th and in the last relegation slot.
A stressful season and Lazio needed points.
The match
The atmosphere was sad at the stadium with only 10,000 spectators due to the Lazio fans being on strike. Not a great atmosphere at the Olimpico for this evening kick-off.
Lazio were without defender André Dias and keeper Fernando Muslera but Fiorentina were much worse off and had Alberto Gilardino, Juan Manuel Vargas, Cesare Natali, Alessandro Gamberini and Mario Santana all out for various reasons.
Lazio were playing with four at the back for the first time under Edy Reja and started off well. In the first minute Francelino Matuzalem had a low left footed strike saved into corner by Sebastian Frey.
After seven minutes the Biancocelesti took the lead. On a corner from the left Sebastiano Siviglia on the front post back heeled the ball and it went over the keeper and into the far top hand corner. A spectacular goal, not quite as good as Roberto Mancini's against Parma in 1999, but it came pretty close. Lazio 1 Fiorentina 0.
Fiorentina showed little reaction and Lazio controlled the game without any particular worries. La Viola's first shot towards goal came in the 34th minute when Marco Donadel tried a crack from outside the area but it went wide.
It was Lazio in the last minute who had a glorious chance to extend their lead. A perfect Matuzalem low through ball set up Stefano Mauri with only Frey to beat but the French keeper rushed off his line and saved while the Lazio player maybe should have lifted the ball. Half time, Lazio 1 Fiorentina 0.
For the second period Prandelli replaced Ljajic with young Brazilian Keirisson.
Fiorentina in the second half showed more fighting spirit and Lazio were on the defensive. In the 56th minute Donadel again tried his luck from even further out but his powerful central effort went over the bar.
In the 63rd minute the visitors went closer. From a Marco Marchionni corner from the right Lorenzo De Silvestri got a header in but Tommaso Berni dived low to his left and saved and then the ball was cleared into corner.
Fiorentina insisted and in the 70th minute Stevan Jovetic, approaching the left vertex of the area, belted a right foot heading for under the crossbar but again Berni did well to save into corner.
In the 78th minute Senegalese striker Babacar, who had replaced Mario Bolatti in the 58th minute, headed over the bar from a corner after Berni had misjudged his timing for the catch.
Some controversy came in the 87th minute. Marchionni, who had already been booked, intentionally hacked down Thomas Hitzlsperger just outside the box but the referee let him off without a second booking. He was less lenient with Lazio manager Reja who was sent off for protesting against the decision.
Lazio held on but just when it seemed they were about to obtain three crucial points Fiorentina equalised. In the second minute of additional time a Massimo Gobbi cross from the left was flicked on by Jovetic, in the crowded area Marchionni obstructed Siviglia and the ball somehow bounced loose to Keirisson who had the simple task of slotting the ball in. Lazio 1 Fiorentina 1.
It was cruel for Lazio who had begun to savour an important win but not undeserved for Fiorentina who had played better in the second half.
Lazio's situation was not looking great but had improved slightly. Catania beat Bari 4-0 and overtook the Biancocelesti but fortunately both Livorno and Atalanta had lost so now Lazio had a three-point cushion between themselves and the last dreaded relegation slot. The table read Siena 20, Atalanta 21 Livorno 23, Lazio 26, Catania 27, Udinese 27. Some tense weeks and months lay ahead.
Who played for Lazio
Berni, Lichtsteiner, Stendardo, Siviglia (78' Biava), Kolarov, Brocchi (71' Firmani), Ledesma, Matuzalem, Mauri (59' Hitzlsperger), Rocchi, Floccari
Manager: Reja
Who played for Fiorentina
Frey, De Silvestri, Felipe, Kroldrup, Gobbi, Donadel (65' C. Zanetti), Bolatti (58' Babacar), Montolivo, Marchionni, Ljajic (46' Keirisson), Jovetic
Substitutes: Avramov, Comotto, Pasqual, Carraro
Manager: Prandelli
Referee: Romeo
Goals: 7' Siviglia, 92' Keirisson
Sources
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