Game 13, Serie A
Sunday, December 13, 1998
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Sampdoria 5-2
A hard fought game despite final score is decided by Serb specialist, Stankovic and Salas
Lazio were currently joint 6th, on 17 points. After a difficult start to the season Lazio had beaten Juventus 1-0 away the previous week and looked to the present and future with more optimism.
Sampdoria were worse off under manager Luciano Spalletti. The Blucerchiati were in 14th place, on 13 points, only one point from the last relegation slot.
The match
A 50,000 crowd was present on a hazy December afternoon. Sven-Goran Eriksson, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Roberto Mancini were playing against their past but Mancini was also celebrating his 500th game in Serie A.
Both sides had absences. Lazio were still without long term injuries Alen Boksic and Christian Vieri plus recent injury Pavel Nedved and Beppe Favalli suspended. Sampdoria had to do without Moreno Mannini and striker Vincenzo Montella. The Genoese were also without three South-Americans, Ariel Ortega, Fernando Cordoba and Catê for internal disciplinary reasons
The first threatening shot was by Lazio on a freekick after four minutes but not by Mihajlovic as expected, he was saving his energy for later, but by Dejan Stankovic. The young Serb fired a low shot from 30 metres out and Fabrizio Ferron did well to dive to his left and save into corner.
In the 12th minute Sergio Conceição cut in from the right wing and drilled a left foot towards goal but it went just wide. Then Ivan De La Peña tried his luck from the edge of the box but his effort was a mix between a shot and a lob and was not dangerous.
In the 28th minute Saliou Lassissi fouled Mancini at the edge of the box. This time Mihajlovic took the ball and curled it over the wall, it took a slight deflection off Francesco Palmieri's arm and beat Ferron to his left. Lazio 1 Sampdoria 0.
The visitors reacted. First David Balleri had a shot from a favourable postion but it was weak and blocked by Luca Marchegiani. Then in the 37th minute the Blucerchiati were awarded a penalty. Fabrizio Ficini teed up Marco Sgrò in the area, he beat Beppe Pancaro and then was clearly tripped by the Lazio full-back. Palmieri hammered a perfect penalty into the top right hand corner. Lazio 1 Sampdoria 1. It was Doria's first goal for 436 minutes.
Just before halftime De La Peña finally showed flashes of his Barcelona days and went on a good central run, dancing past three defenders before being hacked down by Alessandro Grandoni. Freekick to Mihajlovic… the Serb stepped up and curled the ball into the right corner again. Lazio 2 Sampdoria 1. Half time came with Lazio leading.
The second period started with a chance for Palmieri who ran onto a header and on the right side of the area, challenged by Paolo Negro, blasted a shot over the bar.
In the 52nd minute Lazio had another free kick from 30 metres out and no-one was overly surprised when Mihajlovic again curled the ball into the left hand corner. Lazio 3 Sampdoria 1. A hat-trick of freekicks, not a common occurance.
If anyone thought the game was won they were proved wrong just three minutes later when Collina awarded Sampdoria another penalty. On a freekick from the right, into a crowded area, the man in green saw a push by Stankovic on Fabio Pecchia, a generous decision looking at the replays. Palmieri this time sent a low spotkick to Marchegiani's left. Lazio 3 Sampdoria 2.
In the 60th minute Conceição crossed long for Mancini on the left, he chested it down beating his marker but his curling shot on the far post was just off target.
In the 63rd minute, after an insistent move by Lazio, Mancini headed to Matias Almeyda just outside the small area and the Argentine went for a bicycle kick that Ferron parried.
It was time for some fresh legs as in the 67th minute Giorgio Venturin replaced De La Peña for Lazio and in the 72nd Iacopini came on for Ficini.
In the 74th minute the visitors were dangerous when a Palmieri shot from the heart of the area was blocked by Negro.
Sampdoria then played their last card putting on Hugo for Vergassola in the 81st minute.
Lazio however decided they had risked enough. Stankovic recieved the ball about 30 metres out, went past three defenders and fired a powerful low right foot into the bottom right corner. Great goal and Lazio 4 Sampdoria 2.
The match was virtually won but just in case Eriksson took off Conceição for a more defensive Guerino Gottardi.
Lazio now were enjoying themselves, a brilliant backheel by Mancini through two defenders set up Almeyda but the Argentine volleyed over the bar.
In the 92nd Lazio definitely put the game to rest. Marcelo Salas ran at the Sampdoria defence on the left, dribbled his way into the area and let off a precise diagonal shot on the far post. Lazio 5 Sampdoria 2.
A good win for Lazio but not as easy as the scoreline could lead one to believe. A deserved one however as ultimately they had too much quality for a hard fighting Sampdoria.
Lazio were now still 6th but alone, on 20 points. The Biancocelesti had gained two points on both Roma and Parma who had drawn 1-1 and were now only two points away.
Sampdoria were in trouble, so much that Luciano Spalletti was sacked in the evening and replaced by former player David Platt . The Blucerchiati were still 14th but now tied with Piacenza in the fourth bottom slot (with four relegations)
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Negro, Nesta, Mihajlovic, Pancaro, Conceição (83' Gottardi), Stankovic, Almeyda, De La Peña (67' Venturin), Mancini, Salas
Manager: Eriksson
Who played for Sampdoria
Ferron, Sakic, Lassissi, Grandoni, Balleri, Pecchia, Ficini (72' Iacopini), Laigle, Vergassola (81' Hugo), Sgrò, Palmieri
Substitutes: Ambrosio, Castellini, Nava, Zivkovic, Aloe
Manager: Spalletti
Referee: Collina
Goals: 29' Mihajlovic, 38' Palmieri (pen), 45' Mihajlovic, 52' Mihajlovic, 55' Palmieri (pen), 83' Stankovic, 92' Salas
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