Game 24, Serie A
Sunday, March 7, 1999
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Salernitana 6-1
Coming from behind, with five goals in the second half, Lazio continue marching towards the Scudetto
Lazio were top of the table with a four point advantage over Fiorentina and Parma and five on Milan. Lazio were unbeaten in 13 games (11 wins and 2 draws).
Lazio were clear favourites today but Salernitana, like all teams in the relegation battle, would fight hard.
The match
The Olimpico welcomed 55,000 spectators on a sunny, March day. Lazio were on a roll and the word "Scudetto" was no longer blasphemy.
Lazio however were without several players: Beppe Favalli, Matías Almeyda, Dejan Stankovic and long term absence Alen Boksic. The main problems were in midfield where Sven-Goran Eriksson was forced to adapt defender Fernando Couto.
The first shot at goal was by Marco Di Vaio who battled shoulder to shoulder with his childhood friend Alessandro Nesta but fired high over the bar.
In the 15th minute Lazio had a chance with Christian Vieri. Roberto Mancini verticalized to Marcelo Salas who dummied, setting up the Italo-Australian striker but his shot was stopped by Andrea Ivan who rushed off his line and saved with his feet.
Just after the half hour the Salernitani surprisingly took the lead. On a freekick, from the right of midfield, Václav Kolusek floated the ball into the crowded area where Ighli Vannucchi was first to the ball and headed past Luca Marchegiani. Lazio 0 Salernitana 1. The 3,000 traveling fans went mental.
Lazio took a while to get over the shock and the Granata almost took advantage. Gennaro Gattuso set up Vannucchi in the area but his imperfect control forced him go for a low cross instead of a shot and Paolo Negro cleared before Di Vaio could punish Lazio again. Then Di Vaio was freed on the left wing but was too ambitious trying to dribble past Nesta and lost the moment.
In the 40th minute Lazio finally stirred. On a long ball from midfield Vieri headed into the area to Pavel Nedved who won an aerial challenge and the ball fell neatly for him but his low left foot was weak and blocked by Ivan.
A few minutes later Lazio equalised. On a Sinisa Mihajlovic freekick from the right wing, Ivan fumbled the low catch and the ball trickled to Negro who tapped in one of the easiest goals of his career. Lazio 1 Salernitana 1. Exactly what Lazio needed just before halftime.
They then almost got another but Vieri's header from a Sergio Conceição cross from the right went just high. The period ended in controversy when the referee told Mihajlovic to go ahead and take a corner and then blew up just as the Serb was about to curl the ball in he then got himself booked (and suspended for the next game) for showing his anger at the decision. Halftime Lazio 1 Salernitana 1. The Biancocelesti were showing signs of life but would have to improve after their hot teas.
The second half started with Lazio on the attack. Mihajlovic went very close with a long range freekick which shaved the post.
In the 51st minute Lazio took the lead. Conceição crossed from the right but neither Vieri nor Dražen Bolić got a head to it and the ball reached Marcelo Salas on the byline, he passed it back to Giuseppe Pancaro, who crossed in low and Vieri scored from close range. Lazio 2 Salernitana 1. The Campani however were furious as they claimed Vieri had pushed Bolic on the aerial challenge. The referee waved away their protests and the goal stood. Lazio 2 Salernitana 1.
Lazio were now playing freely and to their full potential. In the 55th minute a long assist by Mancini set up Vieri on the left side of the area but his powerful low left foot was blocked by Ivan at the second attempt.
Salernitana came back to scare Lazio in the 57th minute when Di Vaio got between Nesta and Negro but his shot went wide.
That was their chance as three minutes later Lazio made it three. Beppe Pancaro to Vieri, on the left side of the box, he squared the ball beautifully to Salas who drilled home from close range. A great move, Lazio 3 Salernitana 1.
Salas tried to return the favour to his attacking partner and with a superb low cross from the left he found "Bobo" in front of goal but his shot came back off the post and into Ivan's arms.
In the 63rd minute Delio Rossi tried to change things taking off Bolic and Vannucchi for Vittorio Tosto and Davide Di Michele while Lazio replaced Negro with Attilio Lombardo.
It was just a matter of time before another goal however as Lazio were now rampant. In the 69th minute Conceição surged down the right, cut in and put a perfectly dosed low ball into Salas, who only had to tap it in. Lazio 4 Salernitana 1.
At this point Eriksson took off vieri and put on a midfielder Roberto Baronio. Salernitana made their last substitution in the 78th minute replacing Marco Rossi with Giacomo Tedesco.
Lazio were all over the "Ippocampi" (Seahorses). In the 79th minute a sublime backheel by Mancini teed up Salas with only the keeper to beat but the Matador incredibly managed to miss the target from near the penalty spot.
In the 82nd minute Lazio scored again. Following a corner Baronio had a go from just outside the area, the ball hit Salvatore Fresi and spun up and over Ivan. A lucky goal, not that Lazio needed it at this stage. Lazio 5 Salernitana 1.
In the 84th minute the Biancocelesti made their last change, taking off Mancini for Guerino Gottardi.
There was still time for one more goal. On a Conceição corner from the left, Nesta headed in his first ever Serie A goal. Lazio 6 Salernitana 1.
A good win for the league leaders. After some initial difficulties they had swept away Salernitana with the quality of their attacking duo Vieri-Salas well supported by Conceição and Mancini.
Salernitana had played well for 45 minutes but had then worryingly collapsed.
Lazio were up to 51 points, still four points ahead of Fiorentina and with five on Milan.
Salernitana were still 17th and luckily for them all their rivals apart from Perugia had lost. Safety was still three points away.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Negro (63' Lombardo), Nesta, Mihajlovic, Pancaro, Conceição, Mancini (84' Gottardi), F.Couto, Nedved, Vieri (70' Baronio), Salas
Manager: Eriksson
Who played for Salernitana
Ivan, Bolic (63' Tosto), Fresi, Fusco, Del Grosso, Rossi (78' Tedesco), Breda, Gattuso, Kolousek, Vannucchi (63' Di Michele), Di Vaio
Substitutes: Balli, Monaco, Bernardini, Belmonte
Manager: Rossi
Referee: Bolognino
Goals: 31' Vannucchi, 44' Negro, 51' Vieri, 60' Salas, 69' Salas, 82' Fresi (og), 90' Nesta
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