One goal lead for the Marakàna

Season 2002-03

UEFA Cup, Second Round, First Leg

Thursday, October 31, 2002

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Red Star Belgrade 1-0

Fiore gives Lazio decent result but will it be enough in Belgrade hell hole?

In the UEFA Cup, Lazio had got through the first round defeating Greeks Skoda Xanthi 4-0 on aggregate. Tonight's opposition Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) were of a different level both in prestige and quality.

The match

A small crowd for this midweek European clash on an extremely humid Roman evening, only about 15,000.

Lazio changed eight players compared to the recent derby. Sinisa Mihajlovic and Dejan Stankovic were on the bench and initially spared facing their beloved "Zvezda" while Jaap Stam, Beppe Favalli, César, Giuliano Giannichedda, Enrico Chiesa and Bernardo Corradi had the night off altogether.

In the 5th minute, after a good Christian Manfredini-Juan Pablo Sorin combination on the left, Stefano Fiore was anticipated at the last second before shooting.

Lazio took the initiative and after several shots were walled by the defence in the 10th minute they scored. Fabio Liverani curled in a freekick from the right towards the front post where Fiore was the quickest to latch onto it and score with a low right footed volley. Lazio 1 Red Star Belgrade 0.

The Serbs had their first half chance after twenty minutes but a Nenad Kovacevic shot was walled after a rapid counterattack.

The game was balanced, Lazio had a double chance with Massimo Oddo and just before half time Dragan Mrjda blasted over the bar after a prolonged attack by the visitors. Halftime Lazio 1 Red Star Belgrade 0.

The Serbs started on the front foot in the first minutes of the second half, Branko Boskovic had a long-range shot go wide and then Nemanja Vidic had a header cleared off the line by Lucas Castroman.

In the 48th minute a Fernando Couto header went wide from a Liverani freekick from the edge of the box. A minute later Inzaghi was unable to get any power on a shot which landed safely in the keeper's arms.

In the 50th minute Mrjda charged down the right and crossed to Boskovic who rose high but, disturbed by Castroman, could not get his header on target.

In the 52nd minute Fiore had a powerful effort but it was too central.

The first substitution then came as Diego Simeone replaced Liverani. The Argentine had been out for three weeks after a meniscus operation.

In the 54th minute a huge chance for Lazio, Liverani floated in a freekick which was headed on by Sorin to Couto whose acrobatic close range left footed volley went wide. An "almost" goal of the season.

In the 58th minute Mrjda again charged off on the break but was contained well by Paolo Negro so by the time he shot he was too near the by-line and Angelo Peruzzi saved comfortably.

In the 59th minute Claudio Lopez came on for Manfredini and in the 61st for the visitors Dragan Bogavac replaced Mrjda.

The game went a bit quiet but the Slavs forced a series of corners on one of which in the 70th minute a Peruzzi hesitation on a high cross caused a fair bit of apprehension around the goal line.

In the 74th minute on the break Lopez hoofed a high ball into the area to Inzaghi who did well to bring it down but then his finish was not of the same quality and sailed well over the bar.

In the 76th minute Fiore, fed by Sorin, had another blast at goal but again his shot had power but was not angled enough.

In the 78th minute an excellent long range shot by Ivan Gvodzenovic was not far off the right top hand corner.

In the 79th minute "Zvezda" made their third and last change bringing on Radovan Krivokapic for Kovacevic (no relation to the future Lazio player).

In the 84th minute tempers flared between several players including Couto for some harsh tackles, but the situation fortunately defused quickly. In the 85th minute Simeone had a half-hearted attempt from the long range and a minute later Lazio brought on a defender Beppe Pancaro for midfielder Fiore. A 1-0 home win was after all still a good result in those days before the away goals rule was scrapped.

In the 89th minute Bogavac did well on the left wing, weaving past a couple of defenders and then squared an intelligent ball back across to the edge of the area where Markovic wasted his teammate's skills by slicing it wide.

In injury time the "Crveno-beli" (Red and Whites) pushed forward and in the 91st minute Mladenovic chipped a ball into the centre of the area where Pjanovic' diving header was outdone by a Peruzzi "beach mode" save as he sprung high to his left and caught the ball.

Lazio too had another chance to take a more reassuring lead to Belgrade, but in the 93rd minute Simone Inzaghi confirmed it was not his night when he headed a Lopez cross over the bar from a favourable position. Final score Lazio 1 Red Star Belgrade 0.

A decent result for Lazio especially with a heavily weakened side but it would not be easy at the Rajko Mitić stadium, the infamous "Marakàna", in two weeks' time in front of 60,000 fans.

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Oddo, F. Couto, Negro, Sorin, Castroman, D. Baggio, Liverani (52' Simeone), Manfredini (59' C. Lopez), Fiore (86' Pancaro), S. Inzaghi