Game 20, Serie A
Sunday, February 19, 1995
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Milan 4-0
Lazio finally crush the Devil at home, after almost 20 years, with clinical attacking duo Signori-Casiraghi.
Lazio were currently in joint 4th position with Sampdoria on 31 points. The Biancocelesti were going through a rough patch and had lost the last two league games, Bari 1-2 at home and Torino 0-2 away. A reaction was needed but unfortunately today's game was against Italian Champions, A.C Milan.
The match
A pleasant, sunny February afternoon attracted a 50,000 crowd.
Lazio were missing Alen Boksic while Milan were without Dejan Savicevic, Zvodimir Boban and former Lazio Paolo Di Canio.
Milan started more brightly and forced a couple of scrambes in the Lazio. The first big chance was for Marco Simone who unmarked outside the area on the left but his lob was too weak and Luca Marchegiani blocked his shot volley ball style just inside the vertex of the box.
Lazio however gradually grew into the game. They had a penalty appeal when, on a low Beppe Signori cross, Gigi Casiraghi was strangled by Costacurta but not for the referee Cesari.
In the 18th minute the scoreline changed and in an unpredictable way. The usually impeccable Franco Baresi, playing out of defence, miscalculated a pass and it was charged down by Casiraghi who then showed unsuspectable speed bursting forward for twenty metres between Baresi and Billy Costacurta and beating Rossi with a low right foot. Lazio 1 Milan 0. A rare Baresi mistake and impressive movement by Gigi "Tyson" Casiraghi.
Milan could have equalised almost immediately but two against Marchegiani, Simone squared the ball slightly behind Daniele Massaro and the chance was wasted. Then Simone had a dangerous diving header which went just wide. Halftime Lazio 1 Milan 0.
A balanced game but Lazio had taken their chance thanks to a rare sloppy piece of play by Baresi. There were no clear signs yet of what would happen in the second 45 minutes.
There were no changes after the break. The game continued to be of uncertain outcome until the 59th minute when Lazio scored again. A high Roberto Di Matteo ball over the Milan backline found Signori on the left side of the area, the ball came down and while everyone, including Rossi, expected a shot on the opposite post, Beppe-Gol volleyed a snooker like low shot past the keeper on the near post. A great goal and difficult to execute, Lazio 2 Milan 0.
Milan's reaction was feeble and produced nothing to note. Meanwhile just before the goal Milan had made their first change, Alessandro Melli for Simone. Then in the 65th minute Capello took off midfielder Stefano Eranio for former Lazio defender Mauro Tassotti.
A minute later, in the 66th minute, the game was practically over. Maldini desperately made a lunging tackle on Casiraghi sprinting towards goal from the right, the foul probably started outside the area but finished well inside and the referee went for a penalty for Lazio and a red card for Maldini. Signori took the spot kick, as usual with no run up and sent Rossi to the right and the ball down the middle. Lazio 3 Milan 0.
At this stage Milan knew they were beaten and virtually disappeared. Lazio also knew it was won and took off Diego Fuser and put on Giorgio Venturin. The chances for Lazio came fast and frequently, Roberto Rambaudi, Casiraghi and Paolo Negro all went close and then Aron Winter hit the post.
Lazio were queueing up and the fourth goal came in the 82nd minute. It was officially an own goal but the main merit was Signori's. After a one-two with Winter, who flicked the ball back from the left byline, Signori let off a left foot which took a light deflection off Baresi hit the crossbar, then the left post and bounced over the line. Lazio 4 Milan 0.
Lazio could even have made it five but Casiraghi's free diving header, from a Negro cross was too central and saved by Rossi.
Milan had one last chance to get a consolation goal but, following a corner, Demetrio Albertini cut inside and blasted a left foot wide. Final score Lazio 4 Milan 0.
This was the first time the Biancocelesti had beaten the Rossoneri at home for 17 years and it was a day to remember. The scoreline was perhaps a little excessive but to be fair Lazio were already leading by two goals when Maldini got his marching orders and from then on it could have been more like a tennis set result.
Lazio like many times this season proved they could beat the best but needed to find consistency. The Biancocelesti were now joint 3rd with city rivals Roma who had lost 0-1away at Genoa and three points clear of Fiorentina who were 6th (5 teams went into Europe).
Milan were 7th, two pointsfrom Europe but still had this year's Champions League campaign to look forward too.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Negro, Favalli, Di Matteo, Bergodi, Cravero (79' Nesta), Rambaudi, Fuser (67' Venturin), Casiraghi, Winter, Signori
Manager: Zeman
Who played for Milan
Rossi, Panucci, Maldini, Albertini, Costacurta, Baresi, Eranio (65' Tassotti), Desailly, Massaro, Donadoni, Simone (57' Melli)
Manager: Capello
Referee: Cesari
Goals: 18' Casiraghi, 59' Signori, 66' Signori (pen), 82' Baresi (og)
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