Game 23, Serie A
Sunday, March 18, 2001
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Juventus 4-1
Lazio finally give a demonstration of their power and demolish Juventus.
After winning the Super Coppa against Inter in September, Lazio did not start too well in the campionato and by the end of the year were fourth with 21 points, way off Roma who were leading the Serie A eight points ahead. There had been a lot of problems. This first issue was that Sven-Goran Eriksson had signed a contract with the English FA to manage England starting from the summer of 2001. This meant that it was going to be his last year with Lazio. This created a negative psychological situation in the team, uncertain of what would happen in the future. Secondly, Crespo got injured early on and he was taking time to get back into form. Thirdly, the team was badly missing a right-winger since Attilio Lombardo was past his prime and Dejan Stankovic was fulfilling the task but rather reluctantly. Fourthly, Claudio Lopez, Lazio’s star summer signing, got injured early on in the season and would be out for a lengthy period.
There was still optimism but in the first game of the new year Lazio lost at home and Eriksson, realising that he might be the problem, resigned. The team was handed to Dino Zoff. In January Lazio finally bought Karel Poborsky and Lucas Castroman to fill the void created by selling Sergio Conceição.
In Campionato, once Zoff arrived, things improved. They won seven, drew one and lost one, the previous week at Bologna. They were still miles away from Roma, 11 points ahead, but five from Juventus today's opponents.
What shall we do? Play to lose, as to not allow Roma to go +9 on Juve, or try to win to get back in the scudetto race?
The match
Lazio were ready for Juventus and did everything they possibly could to win. Dino Zoff’s idea was to wait for the Bianconeri and then use Karel Poborsky and Pavel Nedved as arrows on the wings on the counter attack. But he was missing Marcelo Salas, Beppe Favalli – both injured – Fernando Couto and Sinisa Mihajlovic (suspended).
The Biancocelesti were immediately dangerous. A Poborsky cross was missed by Nedved, Diego Simeone tried a header but was not lucky. In the 19th minute great Angelo Peruzzi save on an Alessandro Del Piero free kick. Four minutes later Lazio scored. Poborsky stole a ball and in a fast counterattack passed to Hernan Crespo on the right. Low cross in the middle and Nedved volleyed the ball in.
Juve did react. In the 27th minute an Antonio Conte header beat Peruzzi but Alessandro Nesta saved on the line. The Lazio keeper again saved a Pippo Inzaghi header in the 34th. Francesco Colonnese got injured and in the 42nd minute was substituted by Emanuele Pesaresi.
In the 47th minute Juan Sebastian Veron raced into the Juve half and despite being pressed by Bianconeri players sent a marvellous ball from the right to Crespo on the left just outside the box. The Argentinian went into the area and beat Edwin Van der Sar.
The immediate Bianconero reaction produced three chances: first a Zinedine Zidane shot went just wide, then a David Trezeguet header in the 50th minute hit the crossbar and a Del Piero header again went wide. Edgar Davids in the 58th minute got a second yellow card and was sent off. But this did not stop Juventus and a minute later Zidane to Del Piero just inside the box on the left, splendid curling shot Lazio 2 Juve 1.
The Bianconero illusion did not last long. In the 66th minute Nedved from the left sent a ball in the box to Crespo who, back to the goal, turned around and passed back to the Czech. Nedved controlled the ball and beat Van der Sar. In the 81st minute, Dejan Stankovic to Lucas Castroman on the right, low cross for Crespo, Lazio 4 Juventus 1.
Are Lazio back? Maybe.
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Colonnese (42’ Pesaresi), Nesta, Negro, Pancaro, Poborsky (81’ Castroman), D. Baggio, Veron (76’ Stankovic), Simeone, Nedved, Crespo
Substitutes: Marchegiani, Claudio Lopez, Baronio, Ravanelli
Manager: Zoff
Who played for Juventus
Van der Sar, Birindelli, Tudor, Montero, Pessotto, Conte (46' Zambrotta), Tacchinardi (69' O'Neill), Davids, Zidane, F. Inzaghi (46' Trezeguet), Del Piero
Substitutes: Carini, Ferrara, Kovacevic, Iuliano
Manager: Ancelotti
Referee: Collina
Goals: 22’ Nedved, 46’ Crespo, 59’ Del Piero, 66’ Nedved, 81’ Crespo
Sources
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