Game 19, Serie B
Sunday, January 25
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Taranto 1-1
A poor performance by the Biancocelesti who look far from Serie A material
So far Lazio had played 18 league games and won 7, drawn 9 and lost 2. Lazio had started well with 6 wins and 4 draws in the first 10 games but then slowed down. In the last 4 the Biancocelesti had drawn 2 and lost 2. They were on 23 points and needed a win today to get back on track.
The match
A crowd of 30,000 turned up hoping to see Lazio get back to winning ways on a cloudy Roman afternoon.
Lazio had two worrying absences, the midfield leader Alberto Bigon and the defensive leader Paolo Pochesci who was suspended. They were replaced by Dario Sanguin and Dario Pighin. Unfortunately, it was not San Dario today.
Lazio started better than the visitors. In the 9th minute Filippo Citterio surged down the left and crossed but Giorgio Mastropasqua's low effort went just out. Mastropasqua had another crack a few minutes later but the keeper parried up into the air and Citterio's subsequent header in the crowded area was hoofed up in the air again from near the goal line and then finally cleared.
In the 15th minute the Biancocelesti took the lead. Stefano Chiodi was fouled just outside the area for a clear free kick. Giuseppe Greco took a run up and blasted a left foot into the top hand corner. Great strike and Lazio 1 Taranto 0.
Taranto did not react immediately and only had a Rossi header, from a Nicola Cassano cross, comfortably saved by Aldo Nardin.
In the 32nd minute another Citterio initiative down the flank saw him set up Chiodi who volleyed towards goal but Walter Ciappi was alert and saved. Half time Lazio 1 Taranto 0.
Lazio were not playing particularly well, slow, distracted and clumsy but it seemed enough against a timid opposition, so far lacking in compactness.
Right at the beginning of the half came a controversial episode. In the 48th minute a Giuseppe Pavone cross was missed by Pighin and Renzo Rossi got a header in, the ball hit the keeper, spun up, hit the crossbar, came down and bounced near the goal line. On the line, over the line? It did not look over, the linesman and referee said play on and there was no technology to contradict them.
The episode however should have been a warning sign for Lazio as Taranto were more determined this half and pushed forward.
Lazio were suddenly all over the place, especially in defence, missing the ball, too many fouls and passes straight to their opponents.
Taranto equalised in the 60th minute. Rossi beat Pighin for speed and teed up Gori who watched but not challenged by two defenders struck a low, trickling, left footed shot which sneaked past an immobile Nardin. Lazio 1 Taranto 1. It was hardly a surprise, Lazio were in clear physical and psychological difficulty.
Lazio tried to change things in the 70th minute, taking off a tired Fernando Viola and putting on local lad Mauro Manzoni.
If anyone expected Lazio to change gear they were disappointed. Neither team had the strength to create any real further chances and anyway Taranto were more than pleased with their away point. Lazio did have a penalty appeal for a possible foul on Chiodi but the referee saw nothing in it. Fulltime Lazio 1 Taranto 1.
A negative result but more worryingly a negative performance. Lazio looked tired, disorganised and lacked fighting spirit. The team was whistled off by many of the fans and the optimism for a speedy return to the big time was fading fast.
Who played for Lazio
Nardin, Spinozzi, Citterio, Perrone, Pighin, Sanguin, Garlaschelli, Viola (70' Manzoni), Chiodi, Mastropasqua, Greco
Manager: Castagner
Who played for Taranto
Substitutes: Degli Schiavi, Scoppa, Mucci, Arzeni, M. Fabbri
Manager: Seghedoni
Referee: Patrussi
Goals: 15' Greco, 60' Gori
Sources
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