Game 11, Serie A
Sunday, November 29, 1992
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Roma 1-1
A typical Rome derby of the period. It was tense and physical, with few scoring opportunities. It seemed to be heading in Roma's favour thanks to a defensive blunder before Paul Gascoigne rose to the heavens and headed Lazio into ecstasy.
Lazio had not got off to a great start: 4 consecutive draws were followed by wins against Parma and Atalanta but also defeats by Milan and in the two games preceding the derby, losses to Torino and Foggia. Lazio currently lay in mid-table with 9 points.
The match
The derby, played in front of a full house (75,000), came after 4 consecutive 1-1 results and was not a classic. It was a nervy, sometimes dirty affair (Amedeo Carboni forced off early on), with provocative behaviour on both sides, but above all a desperate fear of losing. The real spectacle was as usual in the “curve” where the Lazio and Roma fans displayed their huge passion and colourful choreographies. Down on the field there was also passion but of a more negative type with tight man to man marking and constant fouls stopping and starting a mediocre event with goal scoring opportunities few and far between.
The second half however was awoken with a bang thanks to a massive defensive blunder by Lazio defenders Roberto Cravero and Angelo Gregucci, allowing Roma captain Giuseppe Giannini to slot the ball in unmarked. The goal should have galvanized Roma but instead seemed to relax the “Giallorossi” into thinking maybe they had done enough. Lazio's reaction was by no means venomous but a colossal chance for Thomas Doll who pulled it just wide and a thunderous shot by Diego Fuser which hit the crossbar and bounced up off the line (pre-goal line technology and possibly over) were warning signs for Roma. They themselves did waste a few potentially dangerous counter attacks but were ultimately punished for their passiveness in the dying minutes. A foul by Antonio Tempestilli on Fuser gave Lazio a freekick about 35 metres out and a high floating ball from Beppe Signori was met by Paul Gascoigne who out-jumped the Roma defenders and with a powerful header beat Giuseppe Zinetti. From agony to ecstasy.
Gazza, who had not really been in the game, became the hero of the hour in what will always be remembered as Gazza's derby. His run under the Curva Nord, arms outstretched, and his subsequent tears have gone down in Lazio history. Gazza was unconditionally loved at Lazio but that derby equaliser made him immortal.
In a pre-match interview Gazza in his unique Geordie-Italian dialect had said something about hoping the fans could “beava champeana” (bere champagne / drink champagne) … maybe it wasn't champagne but it was with great satisfaction that Lazio fans enjoyed their nerve steadying post-match beers.
Who played for Lazio
Fiori, Bonomi, Favalli, Bacci (69' Stroppa), Gregucci, Cravero (49' Bergodi), Fuser, Doll, Winter, Gascoigne, Signori.
Manager: Zoff
Who played for Roma
Zinetti, Bonacina, Carboni (8' Tempestilli), Aldair, Benedetti, Comi, Mihajlovic, Hassler, Carnevale (80' Salsano), Giannini, Rizzitelli
Substitutes: Firmani, Petruzzi, Muzzi
Manager: Boskov
Referee: Lucci
Goals: 48' Giannini, 86' Gascoigne
Sources
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