Ave César

Dag Jenkins

Jan 25, 20244 min read

Season 2003-04

Game 18, Serie A

Sunday, January 25, 2004

Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce

Lecce Lazio 0-1

A second half goal by the returning Brazilian is enough for the three points

So far it had been a mixed bag in Serie A. Lazio had played 17 games, winning 9 (Lecce, Sampdoria, Chievo, Bologna and Udinese, Perugia, Juventus, Ancona, Inter), drawing 2 (Empoli, Modena) and losing 6 (Parma, Milan, Roma, Siena, Reggina, Brescia). Some big wins but also some unexpected defeats. Lazio were therefore on 29 points and were in 6th position.

Lecce were struggling in Serie A. The Giallorossi were third from bottom, in joint 15th place with Empoli, on 12 points and were five points adrift from the last survival spot (Modena and Reggina on 17). They had won 3, drawn 3 (including Juventus 1-1 at home) and lost 11 (including Lazio 1-4 on opener). Their last game however had been a 3-1 away win at Reggina.

Lazio were favourites but Lecce were desperate for points.

The match

A cloudy day in beautiful baroque Lecce saw about 10,000 spectators in the stadium, from its name obviously on the way to the sea.

Lecce were one of the clubs with the youngest average age while Lazio had one of the highest. Would youth or experience prevail?

Lecce were without defender Giuseppe Abruzzese plus forwards Axel Konan and Mirko Vučiniç. Lazio had César back after five months but had defender Luciano Zauri and forward Simone Inzaghi unavailable.

The first half was not memorable but the few chances were for Lazio. Sinisa Mihajlovic had a free kick saved by Vincenzo Sicignano and then César had a free shot on goal following a ricochet from a Claudio Lopez effort but the Brazilian fired wide.

Lecce responded with a Valeri Bojinov header that went wide from a corner and little else.

A dull first half with Lazio on top and Lecce surprisingly subdued.

In the first minute of the second half the Giallorossi had their biggest chance so far. The Bulgarian striker Bojinov got the better of Mihajlovic on the left and crossed low but Uruguayan Ernesto Chevantón was a fraction too late to meet the inviting assist.

Lazio were still on top and Claudio Lopez blasted a low shot from just inside the area on the left but Sicignano pulled off a great save into corner.

In the 51st minute Lecce took off defender Erminio Rullo and put on 17-year-old debutant Andrea Esposito.

After Lecce had a Bojinov goal disallowed for a clear offside, it was Lazio who scored. In the 55th minute Claudio Lopez took advantage of an Alberto Stovini slip up to feed Bernardo Corradi on the right, he entered the area and squared a simple ball to César who had no problem scoring with his right foot. Lecce 0 Lazio 1.

In the 59th minute the Salentini were reduced to ten men. Cesare Bovo got a good header in which Angelo Peruzzi saved superbly, on the line or over the line was the question but it went unanswered as the referee blew up for a previous foul by Bojinov on Beppe Favalli. Marco Casetti was furious, got himself booked, insisted and earned himself an early shower for dissent.

In the 63rd minute Stefano Fiore hobbled off injured and was substituted by Fabio Liverani.

There followed a battle of freekicks. Chevanton for Lecce, blocked comfortably by Peruzzi and Mihajlovic for Lazio, far more dangerous and superbly tipped over the bar by Sicignano. Mihajlovic then tried his luck straight from a corner but Sicignano saved with some difficulty and then again on Corradi on the rebound.

Lecce then had a penalty appeal when César's outstretched arm hit Chevanton in the face while he was preparing to attempt an acrobatic bicycle kick. The referee judged it fortuitous and played on.

More substitutions followed: Guillermo Giacomazzi for Jorge Bolaño in the 77th minute and Wilfried Dalmat for Sebastiano Siviglia in the 80th for Lecce and Roberto Muzzi for Claudio Lopez for Lazio in the 81st.

Lecce tried a final forcing but with a man less had difficulty setting up any real chances apart from a series of long balls into the area. Lazio controlled well, broke up the hosts' rhythm by taking off match winner César and throwing on Demetrio Albertini in the 90th minute and saw out the game for the three points. Final score Lecce 0 Lazio 1.

Not a pretty game but it had improved in the second half. Lazio had more control and chances as well as scoring the decisive goal. Not a vintage performance by Lazio but an important away win.

Lazio moved up to joint 4th with Inter and Parma on 32 points. Lecce were in trouble in 16th place on 12 points but still five points from safety (now only Reggina on 17).

Who played for Lecce

Sicignano, Siviglia (80' Dalmat), Bovo, Stovini, Rullo (51' A. Esposito), Cassetti, Ledesma, Bolano (77' Giacomazzi), Tonetto, Chevantón, Bojinov

Substitutes: Poleksic, Silvestri, Billy, Pellè

Manager: Rossi

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Oddo, Stam, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Fiore (63' Liverani), Giannichedda, Stankovic, César (90' Albertini), C. Lopez (81' Muzzi), Corradi