Iannuzzi day

Season 1995-96

Game 17, Serie A

Sunday, January 14, 1996

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Torino 1-1

Last second goal by a (hopefully) future star allows Lazio to avoid defeat

So far Lazio had been rather inconsistent. Spectacular games (6-3 against Sampdoria for example) and dismal performances like losing to Vicenza and Piacenza. Fans were used to it by now, but the question was: will we ever win anything with this inconsistency? They were currently fifth together with Roma and behind Milan, Fiorentina, Parma and Juventus.

The match: Sunday, January 14, 1996, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio were in an emergency. No Beppe Signori, no Alen Boksic, no Beppe Favalli. Torino also had their problems and were forced to play without Paolo Cristallini, Alessandro Dal Canto and Abedi Pelé.

Nothing much happened in the first half. A shot from Aron Winter saved by Massimiliano Caniato, a whack from Diego Fuser that shaved the crossbar. Torino held the fort well and in the 36th minute came close to scoring when an Antonino Bernardini shot went very close to the post.

Lazio were in two minds about what to do. Attack and give the Granata the opportunity for the counterattack or wait for the opponents to attack? At this point Zeman took off Massimiliano Esposito, Alessandro Romano and Fuser and threw in Alessandro Iannuzzi, Dario Marcolin and Cristiano Bergodi and the team showed some life. In the 67th minute Iannuzzi headed a perfect assist to Marcolin whose acrobatic shot was just slightly too high. Five minutes later Bergodi to Pierlugi Casiraghi, but his attempt was saved by the goalkeeper. With ten minutes to the end Ruggero Rizzitelli managed to move past Jose Chamot and Paolo Negro and present himself in front of Luca Marchegiani. Soft chip and Torino went ahead.

Lazio attacked furiously. First a Negro shot from inside the box was parried into corner. On the corner kick another magnificent Caniato save denied a possible equaliser. In the 93rd minute Marcolin crossed the ball into the box, Roberto Maltagliati went for the header, missed the ball and instinctively raised his hand to stop it. The referee indicated a penalty but the linesman convinced him otherwise and he opted for a free kick. It should have been a penalty. Iannuzzi, a specialist, was given Lazio’s last hope. And he did not disappoint. Marvellous curling shot and Lazio 1 Torino 1.

A difficult game, the Biancocelesti were still very far behind.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Romano (65’ Bergodi), Nesta, Di Matteo, Negro, Chamot, M. Esposito (62’ Iannuzzi), Fuser (65’ Marcolin), Casiraghi, Winter, Rambaudi.