A bland affair ends in a point each

Season 2013-14

Game 29, Serie A

Sunday March 23, 2014

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Milan 1-1

A mediocre spectacle finishing 1-1 with a Konko own goal and a Gonzalez equaliser is of no real satisfaction to either team

This season under Vladimir Petkovic had not started so positively and Lazio lost the Super Coppa final 4-0 against Juventus. Lazio also struggled in the league bringing the club to replace Petkovic with reliable Edy Reja after 17 games. The decision was also caused by the Bosnian polyglot having signed a contract to lead the Switzerland national team.

In Serie A Lazio lay in 7th position after 11 wins, 8 draws and 9 defeats, on 41 points. A week earlier Lazio had won 2-0 away at Cagliari.

The match

A match between two under pressure and highly criticized teams was never going to be a thriller. The atmosphere was tense as the 35,000 crowd, sparse for what was usually a big game, were involved in an ongoing fierce protest against club owner Claudio Lotito and the team's performances were not helping.

Lazio had two last minute absences as André Dias and Miro Klose had lower back problems. They were replaced by Diego Novaretti and Brayan Perea. Goalkeeper Federico Marchetti was also out.

Milan manager Clarence Seedorf changed half the team compared to the recent poor performances. In came former Roma Philippe Mexes, Kevin Constant, Michael Essien, Andrea Poli and Giampaolo Pazzini at the expense of Cristian Zapata, Urby Emanuelson, Sulley Muntari, Taarabt and Mario Balotelli. Goalkeeper Christian Abbiati was suspended while Ignazio Abate and Riccardo Montolivo were out injured.

Lazio started the game the more positive, at least trying to create something. The Biancocelesti however were slow and predictable. On the wings Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde set up some chances but there was no centre-forward to finalize as Perea seemed disjointed from the rest of the team.

The chances in the first half were few and far between. Japanese midfielder Honda had a couple of hopeful long-range efforts over the bar, the same fate as a Diego Novaretti header for Lazio. The sort of efforts that would not even get on the highlights in an average Serie A game. In the 40th minute Lazio scored but it was disallowed. Novaretti's header beat Marco Amelia but Giuseppe Biava was deemed offside in front of goal. Three minutes later Milan were ahead helped by a huge dose of luck. Kaká went past Alvaro Gonzalez on the left side of the area and put in a medium height cross, the ball fortuitously hit Abdoulay Konko and, completely changing direction, spun towards goal, beating Etrit Berisha. Honda then headed high from a Kaká free kick. Half time score Lazio 0 Milan 1. Milan had not done much but had taken advantage of a lucky episode and they all count.

In the second half Reja soon took off the invisible Perea and put Senad Lulic on the wing, moving Keita to centre-forward. In the same 54th minute Balotelli replaced Honda for Milan. Lulic brought a new and much needed energy to Lazio’s attacks. The hosts started to put the Milan defence under constant pressure and were rewarded in the 61st minute. A Candreva cross was first flicked on by a Lucas Biglia header and then definitely headed in by Gonzalez. The "Tata" Gonzalez then made his customary phone call to his grandmother in Uruguay using his football boot. So, Lazio 1 Milan 1 and a deserved equaliser for the home side.

At this point the game did not exactly become a thriller but it did improve. Both sides had chances to win it. Gonzalez could have got a brace but hesitated when he had a good shooting opportunity. At the other end Pazzini twisted round a defender but fired over the bar. The biggest chance fell to "Il Diavolo" in the 83rd minute. The wasted talent Balotelli, but still talented after all, saw his powerful low strike come back off the base of the post with the keeper beaten. Lazio then had two late chances with Candreva and Eddy Onazi but both shots went just high. Final score Lazio 1 Milan 1.

The result was not particularly satisfying for either team. Lazio were still five points behind Inter and Parma for the European slots while Milan were eleven behind the same positions and a humiliating 42 points behind the league leaders Juventus. Milan had at least avoided a fourth consecutive defeat but both teams were left in a sort of limbo.

Who played for Lazio

Berisha, Konko, Biava, Novaretti, Radu, A. Gonzalez (87' Mauri), Ledesma, Biglia (79' Onazi), Candreva, Perea (54' Lulic), Keita