Game 14, Serie A
Monday, February 25, 2013
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Pescara 2-0
Cracking goals by Radu and Lulic in the first half give Lazio comfortable win
A cold, Monday evening kick-off did not attract a big crowd, about 20,000.
Lazio were still without Miroslav Klose while Pescara had several absences. Vladimir Weiss, Manuele Blasi and Damiano Zanon were suspended while Ferdinando Sforzini, Rômulo Togni and Juan Fernando Quintero were injured.
It was Pescara who initially and surprisingly took the game to Lazio. For the first ten minutes they were constantly in Lazio's half. In the 5th minute the hosts lost Abdoulay Konko with a knee injury and he was replaced by Bruno Pereirinha. Pescara's only threat however was a weak Emmanuel Cascione long range shot, comfortably saved by Federico Marchetti.
Slowly but surely Lazio gained control of the game. In the 13th minute Sergio Floccari had a superb bicycle kick go just wide and, in the 19th, Hernanes shot from a distance but was just off target past the right post.
Lazio were starting to attack constantly but had difficulty penetrating the area so Stefan Radu had another idea. In the 29th minute he was passed the ball back by Senad Lulic, to just outside the area on the left, and he let off a blistering left foot which went past Ivan Pelizzoli and into the top left-hand corner on the near post. A cracking goal and Lazio 1 Pescara 0.
Lazio insisted and made it two just six minutes later. In the 35th minute Lulic went forward in midfield and seeing no-one challenged him just continued until the edge of the area where he too blasted a powerful right foot into the top left-hand corner. Another fantastic goal and Lazio 2 Pescara 0.
Lazio cruised to halftime two goals up and in complete control.
There were no changes for the second period. Pescara tried to create chances but were never dangerous so in the 60th minute they tried changing striker, bringing on former Roma, Gianluca Caprari for Elvis Abbruscato.
Three minutes later however it was Lazio who almost scored again. Radu hit the ball forward from way inside his own half and suddenly Floccari was free to run towards goal undisturbed on the left, he entered the area and tried to curl it round Pelizzoli but it did not tak on the desired trajectory and hit the keeper.
In the 66th minute Eddy Onazi replaced an injured Alvaro "Tata" Gonzalez and in the 71st the Abruzzesi changed Mervan Celik with Milton Caraglio.
The Nigerian midfielder had a good impact on the game and in the 73rd minute dispossessed Birkir Bjarnason in midfield and burst forward before setting up Floccari with a goal scoring opportunity, but the striker from Calabria tried one dribbling too many and lost the moment.
In the 81st minute Brazilian Ederson came on for Antonio Candreva. Three minutes later he almost teed up Floccari in front of goal but his low cross was intercepted by Pelizzoli.
In the 84th minute Onazi did everything perfectly going past several opponents but then his shot lacked power and was saved low by Pelizzoli.
In the 87th minute the Adriatici played their last card bringing on former Lazio Giuseppe Sculli for Cascione.
Pescara again tried to push forward until the end but lacked conviction and after three minutes of injury time the referee blew for fulltime. Lazio 2 Pescara 0.
Ultimately an easy win for Lazio who with two long range shots had got the necessary lead and then there was no way back for Pescara.
Lazio were now up to 3rd place, on 47 points, going above Milan who had drawn the derby 1-1, on 46. Next up Milan vs Lazio at the old San Siro.
Pescara looked in serious trouble. Genoa had drawn 0-0 away at Palermo and now had a five-point advantage on the struggling "Delfini".
Who played for Lazio
Marchetti, Konko (5' Pereirinha), Cana, Dias, Radu, Candreva (81' Ederson), A. Gonzalez (66' Onazi), Ledesma, Hernanes, Lulic, Floccari
Manager: Petkovic
Who played for Pescara
Pelizzoli, Balzano, Cosic, Bocchetti, Capuano, Zauri, Rizzo, Cascione (87' Sculli), Bjarnason, Abbruscato (60' Caprari), Celik (71' Caraglio)
Substitutes: Perin, Bianchi, Arce, Modesto, D'Agostino, Vukusic
Manager: Bergodi
Referee: Romeo
Goals: 29' Radu, 35' Lulic
Sources
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