Pre-season friendly
Sunday, August 19, 1990
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Werder Bremen 2-2
Goals by Riedle and Madonna give Lazio decent draw against fitter Germans
Lazio had already played four friendlies: Bienne 12-0 and Trossingen 7-0, and then the more competitive La Linea Trophy in Spain where they had beaten Cadiz 3-2 and Real Madrid 6-4 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw. This evening was Lazio’s first game in front of their home fans. The league would start on September 9 while the Coppa Italia debut would be a few days earlier on September 5.
The match
A hot and sticky summer evening brought about 25,000 to the Olimpico.
Both sides had a few absences. Lazio were without defender Cristiano Bergodi and midfielder Sergio Domini while the Germans were missing keeper Oliver Reck, defender Rune Brathseth and midfielder Günter Hermann while forward Frank Neubarth was on the bench.
The Germans looked more match fit and organised while Lazio's main threat was the speed and agility of Ruben Sosa and Karl-Heinz Riedle.
The German was playing against his former teammates. He showed no mercy however and scored after twelve minutes. Sosa set up Raffaele Sergio down the wing and his perfect cross was met by Riedle, whose majestic header went in near the post. Lazio 1 Werder Bremen 0.
Riedle had introduced himself to his new fans with the speciality of the house, a towering header. The German striker had the incredible ability to stay in the air that fraction longer to beat even the tallest defenders.
The visitors reacted immediately and went close to equalising, first with a powerful Dieter Eilts shot saved by Valerio Fiori into corner and then on a venomous Klaus Allofs corner, again blocked by Fiori.
Lazio too had chances. Angelo Gregucci had an attempt saved off the line by Thomas Wolter and then a few minutes later Sosa fired over the bar from a favourable position.
In the 35th minute "Die Grün-Weißen" (Green and Whites) equalised. Wynton Rufer crossed in from the left, Fiori flew off his line but only palmed it as far as Allofs who was lurking and drilled the ball in. A classic Allofs goal and Lazio 1 Werder Bremen 1.
For the second half "Die Werderaner" replaced Uwe Harttgen with Marco Bode. Lazio took back the lead almost immediately. In the 47th minute Uli Borowka pulled down Riedle about twenty metres out. The freekick was taken superbly by Armando Madonna who put the ball into the top hand corner. Lazio 2 Werder Bremen 1.
In the 51st minute the game lost one of its protagonists when Riedle was forced off after clashing with the keeper.
The game died down a bit with further substitutions: Massimiliano Nardecchia for Franco Marchegiani and Neubarth for Wolter.
The Germans however, clearly did not want to lose and pushed forward. In the 75th minute it was the German replacement Neubarth who equalised. On an assist by Bode he took advantage of a hesitant and badly positioned defence to beat Fiori, 2-2.
Both sides seemed satisfied with the result and run around and the game ended in a draw.
A decent practice game for Lazio against fitter opponents. The positives were the way Riedle and Sosa combined and Madonna's gem while the defence still had to sort out a few uncertain movements.
Who played for Lazio
Fiori, Lampugnani, Sergio, Pin, Gregucci, Soldà, Madonna, F. Marchegiani (69' Nardecchia), Riedle (51' Saurini), Sclosa, Sosa
Manager: Zoff
Who played for Werder Bremen
Rollmann, Schaaf, Otten, Wolter (68' Neubarth), Sauer, Borowka, Ellis, Votava, Rufer, Harttgen (46' Bode), K. Allofs
Manager: Rehhagel
Referee: Coppetelli
Goals: 12' Riedle, 34 K. Allofs, 47' Madonna, 75' Neubarth
Sources
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