Coppa Italia, Semi Final, 2nd Leg
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Milan 4-0
Lazio destroy Milan in the Coppa Italia return match and reach the final
Lazio started the Coppa Italia campaign in December against Modena winning 2-0 away in the first leg and 1-0 at home in the return match. In the quarterfinals in January Lazio had to face Parma, by no means an easy game. 2-0 at home in the first leg and a draw, 1-1, in the return match allowed the Biancocelesti to reach the semi-finals and play Milan. Dejan Stankovic scored in both games against Parma, just before waving goodbye and joining Inter.
On February 5, Lazio played the first semi-final in Milan. After thirty seconds Christian Abbiati in an attempt to clear the box kicked the ball against Stefano Fiore and it ended up in the goal. Milan were in shock and Lazio scored again with Fernando Couto. The Milanese managed to pull one back with Filippo Inzaghi just before half time but went no further than that.
Milan needed to win at least 2-0 to reach the final.
The match
This was probably one of the best games Lazio have ever played. A magnificent display of strength that destroyed Milan. The game was already over after the first 15 minutes.
Milan arrived in Rome with the need to win but Carlo Ancelotti was not really interested in the Coppa Italia and chose a type of B team to play Lazio’s best men. Andrij Shevchenko was playing however and in the 5th minute he immediately caused Matteo Sereni some concern. It was the only thing Milan managed to do in the entire game.
In the 11th minute Fabio Liverani saw Cesar move towards the goal on the left. Magnificent pass and a magnificent shot by the Brazilian who anticipated Christian Abbiati and scored. 1-0 for Lazio.
Four minutes later Stefano Fiore made a forty metre pass to Cesar on the left. The Brazilian saw Liverani unmarked in the box. Ball to Fabio, 2-0 for Lazio. Game over.
I said game over, but in reality it was game over only for Milan because Lazio continued to push forward. Lazio were playing with a 4-3-3 formation with all the wrong players in the wrong positions, but somehow it worked. In the 35th minute, Beppe Favalli crossed from the left into the box, Bernardo Corradi chested the ball down to Fiore who made it 3-0.
Six minutes later Massimo Oddo crossed from the right into the box, the Milan defenders were static and Fiore scored his second. Apotheosis.
Any comment on the rest of the game would be pointless. Lazio deservedly would face Juventus in the final.
Who played for Lazio
Sereni, Oddo, Stam, Mihajlovic (72’ Muzzi), Favalli, Fiore, Albertini (62’ Zauri), Liverani, Cesar, Corradi (71’ S. Inzaghi), Lopez
Manager: R. Mancini
Who played for Milan
Abbiati, Simic, Laursen, Costacurta, Kaladze, Brocchi, Redondo, Serginho, Rui Costa (46' Seedorf), Shevchenko (46' F.Inzaghi), Borriello (68' Gattuso)
Substitutes: Fiori, Nesta, Cafu, Kakà
Manager: Ancelotti
Referee: Collina
Goals: 11’ Cesar, 15’ Liverani, 35’ Fiore, 41’ Fiore
Sources
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