Pre Season Friendly
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Lebring
Lazio West Ham United 2-0
Lazio beat West Ham in the first encounter between the two teams
The pre-season training was held at Kapfenberg in Austria. Lazio had already played a few friendlies and today would face West Ham United.
The Hammers are a glorious club from East London founded in 1895. They have millions of fans worldwide and a strong home support. They have never won the premiership, but have won the FA Cup three times (1964, 1975 and 1980) and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965. Some legendary players have worn the Claret and Blue jersey such as Bobby Moore, Jeff Hurst and Martin Peters (World Champions in 1966), Trevor Brooking, Frank Lampard (both father and son) and Joe Cole. Many Lazio fans follow West Ham thanks to the fact that Paolo Di Canio played for them from 1998 to 2003.
This game is the first and only time the two teams have met at any level.
The match
West Ham were ahead in the pre-season preparation so this would be a good test for Lazio. It was a real game between the two teams. The Hammers had no intention of merely being a sparring partner and had a couple of chances in the first half. In the first Craig Bellamy involuntarily deflected a Calum Davenport shot and in the second Marco Ballotta was extraordinary in stopping Carlton Cole from scoring.
The Biancocelesti scored in the 14th minute with Guglielmo Stendardo was ready to tap the ball in after a Stephen Makinwa chip had hit the crossbar.
In the second half Lazio doubled in the 50th minute with a magnificent 30-metre lob from Goran Pandev. West Ham could have reduced the deficit had Bellamy scored a penalty awarded by the referee for an Emilson Cribari foul on Luis Boa Morte. But Grandfather Ballotta was able to parry the spot kick. The Biancocelesti could have scored again with Makinwa later on in the match but his shot went wide from a favourable position.
In the end a good test for Lazio and excellent performance. More friendlies would follow.
Who played for Lazio
Ballotta, Scaloni (71’ De Silvestri), Stendardo, Cribari (73’ Diakite), Zauri (69’ Kolarov), Mudingayi (46’ Behrami), Ledesma (81’ Baronio), Manfredini (69’ Firmani), Mauri (55’ Del Nero), Pandev (61’ Rocchi), Makinwa (71’ S. Inzaghi)
Manager: D. Rossi
Who played for West Ham United
Green, Spector (46' Gabbidon), Davenport (46' Collins), A.Ferdinand (59' Dailly), McCartney (46' Upson), Bowyer (78' Collison), Mullins (46' Boa Morte), Parker, Etherweton (71' Reids), Ashton (46' Cole), Bellamy
Substitutes: Wright, Walker
Manager: Curbishley
Referee: Eisner
Goals: 14’ Stendardo, 50’ Pandev
Sources
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