Game 28, Serie A
Sunday, May 14, 1989
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Pisa 1-0
Lazio manage to end the winning drought with a Gregucci goal in the second half
The Biancocelesti before this game were 13th, still with that one-point advantage. A must win today despite the fact that they had serious difficulties in scoring recently. In the last five games they had drawn four times 0-0 and lost 3-1 against Atalanta. And they had not won since the derby.
The match
Pisa came for a point and erected a wall in front of their goal which Lazio had trouble breaking down. Gian Paolo Grudina in the 12th minute saved on a double Ruben Sosa attempt and parried two Ciro Muro free kicks into corner in the 21st and 25th minute. The Tuscans did have their chances. In the 27th minute a free kick taken by Davide Lucarelli was saved by Valerio Fiori and three minutes later a Francis Severeyns deflected attempt shaved the post. In the 31st minute the Belgian took advantage of a Marco Monti mistake and arrived in front of Fiori but the Lazio defender made amends and managed to get back and intervene, avoiding any peril. To be honest it looked like a penalty but there was also a strong chance that Monti did manage to hit the ball. An Antonio Acerbis shot in the 35th minute was again saved by Grudina and then Ruben Sosa from outside the box in the 44th minute shot just wide.
The second half was boring and nothing much happened until the 74th minute. Paolo Di Canio from the right crossed low in the middle, Angelo Gregucci was quicker than anyone and volleyed the ball in. Pisa attempted a comeback but it was Lazio who went closer to their second when a coast-to-coast from Muro allowed the Neapolitan to be vis-à-vis with Grudina but, yet again, the Pisa goalkeeper parried into corner.
A fundamental victory for Lazio, but there was still work to do to avoid relegation.
Who played for Lazio
Fiori, Monti, Piscedda (69’ A.Greco), Acerbis, Gregucci, Gutierrez, Di Canio (81’ Beruatto), Dezotti, Muro, Sclosa, Sosa
Manager: Materazzi
Who played for Pisa
Grudina, Cavallo, Lucarelli, Boccafresca, Elliott, Bernazzani, Piovanelli, Cuoghi, Severeyns, Been, Fiorentini (79' Martini)
Substitutes: M.Bolognesi, Dianda, Dolcetti, Gazzaneo
Manager: Giorgis
Referee: Pezzella
Goal: 72’ Gregucci
Sources
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