Deadly duo Pandev-Rocchi strike again
Lazio attacking partnership bring joint tally up to 38 as Biancocelesti clinch clinical win
Also on this day: May 11, 1969, Catania Lazio 0-1. Lazio inflict a first home defeat on Catania and fly towards promotion. Lazio Hero of the day: Mario Facco
The season so far
The previous season had been excellent for Lazio with a 3rd place and a Champions League preliminary qualification.
This season Manager Delio Rossi had been confirmed and there had been no major upheavals to the squad. The main signing, Argentine goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo, would have to remain at River Plate for another year due to bureaucratic problems. Another South-American keeper had been brought in to fill the gap with Uruguayan Fernando Muslera arriving from Nacional Montevideo. Other new entries were defenders Alexsandar Kolarov (OFK Belgrade) and Lionel Scaloni (Real Santander), midfielders Simone del Nero (Brescia) and Mourad Meghni (Bologna).
In the winter market Lazio had welcomed defenders Stefan Radu (Dinamo Bucharest) and David Rozehnal (Newcastle United), midfielder Ousmane Dabo (Manchester City) and striker Rolando Bianchi (Manchester City - loan).
Sadly goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi was retiring after a fantastic career. Fellow keeper Matteo Sereni was also leaving (Torino). Heading off were also midfielders Pasquale Foggia (Cagliari - loan) and Luís Jimenez (Ternana - end of loan) and striker Simone Inzaghi (Atalanta - loan). In the winter Lionel Scaloni went to Spain (Mallorca), defender Guglielmo Stendardo to Juventus on loan and striker Stephen Makinwa to Reggina, again on loan.
Lazio's season had started off well getting into the Champions League proper (Dinamo Bucharest 1-1, 3-1) but then not continued so positively. They had then not got through the CL group stage with Olympiakos (1-1, 1-2), Werder Bremen (1-2, 2-1) and Real Madrid (2-2, 1-3).
In Serie A they were having a mediocre season, they drew the first three and then got their first win after five matches (Cagliari 3-1). They had lost the first derby 3-2 but triumphed in the second by the same score with a last minute Valon Behrami winner. Lazio were currently in 13th position after 9 wins, 13 draws and 14 defeats, on 40 points. The Biancocelesti top scorers were Goran Pandev with 13 league goals and Tommaso Rocchi with 12.
In the Coppa Italia Lazio reached the Semi-finals. They had eliminated Napoli 3-2 and Fiorentina 4-2, both on aggregate. They then played Inter and lost 0-2 on aggregate. The return game, lost 0-2 in Milan, had only been four days before today's match.
Lazio's season had sadly been marked by tragedy on November 11. On an away trip to Inter a Lazio fan, 26-year-old Gabriele Sandri, had been shot to death by a policeman. Gabriele was a well-known DJ in the capital and a regular in Curva Nord. The lethal bullet had been fired from a distance of about 50 metres while Sandri was asleep in the back of a car in a motorway cafe car park in Tuscany. It later transpired the police thought there was a robbery going on. The Inter-Lazio game was called off and there were fan revolts all over Italy in protest about the tragedy. The policeman, Luigi Spaccarotella, would later be condemned for wilful homicide.
Genoa were newly promoted. The Rossoblu had finished 3rd in Serie B, under manager Gian Piero Gasperini. Top scorer was Adailton with 14 goals (11 in B). The squad had included future Lazio, Giuseppe Sculli (2011-12)
This season Gasperini stayed on. The main new signings for the top flight were: defenders Cesare Bovo (Torino), Alessandro Lucarelli (Reggina), Abdoulay Konko (Siena), midfielder Matteo Paro (Juventus), forwards Marco Borriello (Milan-on loan) and former Lazio, Marco Di Vaio (Monaco). In the winter session defenders Domenico Criscito (Juventus) and Anthony Vanden Borre (Fiorentina) were also added.
The main departure was forward Adailton (Bologna) and in the winter session defender Andrea Masiello (Bari)
Genoa were having a decent season. They were currently 8th, on 48 points. The Rossoblu had won 13 (including Lazio 2-1), drawn 9 and lost 14. Top scorer was Marco Borriello with 19 league goals.
In Coppa Italia they had gone out in the second round in August, losing 2-3 away at Ascoli after extra-time.
A classic end of season game with neither side with much to play for. Genoa slight favourites as higher in the table and playing the last game in front of their home supporters.
The match: Sunday, May 11, 2009, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
A sunny day in the port city of Genoa attracted about 25,000 spectators to this end of season game.
There was not much to play for although Genoa had decided to go for the Intertoto route to Europe so had to finish at least 8th. They put out their best team but had Borriello on the bench alongside Julio César de Leon who had not felt well at the last moment.
Lazio meanwhile were with without defenders Guglielmo Stendardo, Sebastiano Siviglia and Stefan Radu and gave Ivan Artipoli his Serie A debut.
Genoa started off brighter and had chances with Giuseppe Sculli and a Luciano Gabriel Figueroa header that went over the bar. In the 17th minute it was keeper Marco Ballotta who pulled off an excellent save to deny Sculli.
Lazio had threatened occasionally as the Genoa defence looked beatable but without any clear chances.
In the 32nd minute however Lazio scored and it was a great move. From a Luciano Zauri throw in, Stefano Mauri backheeled to Tommaso Rocchi inside the area, he held up the ball with his back to the goal and laid it off to Goran Pandev who slotted it in with a low left foot. A superbly orchestrated goal. Genoa 0 Lazio 1.
Lazio doubled their lead just before halftime. Pandev won the ball in midfield and then Mauri sent Valon Behrami bursting down the right, the Swiss put in a perfect low cross which Rocchi only had to touch from close range with his left foot with the keeper already beaten. Half time, Genoa 0 Lazio 2.
Genoa went off whistled by their own fans and Gasperini decided to make some changes. The keeper Rubinho was injured and replaced by Alessio Scarpi while top scorer Marco Borriello came on for midfielder Fabiano.
Genoa attacked constantly but Lazio defended well and looked for chances on the break. In the 60th minute Pandev teed up Rocchi but Scarpi saved well.
Genoa had chances to reduce the deficit but Figueroa and Borriello were imprecise and then Abdoulay Konko hit the post with a long-range effort. Lazio, with Cristian Ledesma dominant in midfield, managed to subdue the hosts' attacks and the game finished with Lazio in control of the situation. Final score Genoa 0 Lazio 2.
A clinical Lazio had absorbed the home sides attacks and struck twice on the break. It was only Lazio’s second away win of the season and was all in all deserved.
Lazio were up to joint 12th, on 44 points with Siena. Genoa were now 9th, on 48 and almost out of contention for the Intertoto competition.
Who played for Genoa
Rubinho (46' Scarpi), Konko, Bovo, Lucarelli, Rossi, Milanetto, Juric, Fabiano (46' Borriello), Sculli (69' Wilson), Figueroa, Danilo
Substitutes: De Rosa, Ghinassi, Santos, Leon
Manager: Gasperini
Who played for Lazio
Ballotta, Zauri, Artipoli (66' Cribari), Rozehnal, De Silvestri, Mutarelli, Ledesma, Behrami (70' Dabo), Mauri, Pandev (79' Bianchi), Rocchi
Substitutes: Muslera, Kolarov, Mudingayi, Manfredini
Manager: Rossi
Referee: Pierpaoli
Goals: 32' Pandev, 46' Rocchi
What happened next
Lazio won the last home game against Napoli 2-1 and finished 12th, on 46 points. Top scorers were Goran Pandev and Tommaso Rocchi with 19 each (both 14 in A).
A disappointing season for Lazio with two highpoints, the 3-2 derby win and the 2-2 home draw against Real Madrid.
Genoa lost the last game 0-2 away to Atalanta and finished 10th, on 48 points. Their top scorer was Marco Borriello with 19 league goals.
The Scudetto was won by Inter for their 16th title while Serie B was awaiting Livorno, Parma and Empoli.
Lazio 2007-08
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 47 |
Coppa Italia | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
Champions League | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
Total | 52 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 66 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Champions League |
Rocchi | 48 | 36 | 4 | 8 |
Pandev | 44 | 32 | 5 | 7 |
Ledesma | 43 | 32 | 4 | 7 |
Cribari | 42 | 31 | 5 | 6 |
Ballotta | 39 | 29 | 2 | 8 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Champions League |
Rocchi | 19 | 14 | 1 | 4 |
Pandev | 19 | 14 | - | 5 |
Bianchi | 4 | 4 | - | - |
Let's talk about Ivan Artipoli
Ivan Artipoli was born in Pescara on March 24, 1986.
He spent his youth career with Pescara. He then made his first team debut on June 12, 2004, in the last game of the season in Serie B. The Adriatici were initially relegated but then stayed up due to Ancona and Napoli's bankruptcies.
In the summer he joined Sampdoria but spent a season with the reserves.
In the summer of 2005 he joined Prato in Serie C2 on loan but did not play before leaving on loan in January 2006 for Chiasso in the Swiss Challenge League (2nd tier). He stayed until June but made no appearances.
In the summer of 2006 he returned to Prato on loan and played finally. The manager was Pierpaolo Bisoli and the Tuscans finished 9th in C2. Artipoli played 21 league games. One of his teammates was a young Alessandro Diamanti who would later play for West-Ham United, Fiorentina, Watford, Atalanta and Palermo amongst others and win 17 Italy caps.
In 2007 he signed for Lazio. The manager was Delio Rossi and Artipoli made his debut on January 30, in a 2-1 Coppa Italia win over Fiorentina. He then made his Serie A debut in a 2-0 away win at Genoa, in the penultimate game of the season. Lazio finished 12th and Artipoli only played those two games.
In 2008-09 he was sent on loan to Modena in Serie B. The manager was first Daniele Zoratto (1-21) and then Luigi Apolloni and the "Canarini" finished 14th. Artipoli played 10 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia.
In 2009 he returned to Lazio who now had Davide Ballardini as manager and in August Lazio won the Italian Supercoppa beating Mourinho's Inter 2-1 in China. Ballardini was only in charge until February when he was replaced by Edy Reja. Artipoli left in January anyway, joining Foggia on loan.
The "Satanelli" (The Little Satans) were in Lega Pro Prima Divisione (3rd tier). The manager was former Roma player, Guido Ugolotti and the Rossoneri finished 15th. Artipoli played 8 league games.
He then returned to Lazio for two more seasons 2010-12 but never played. In June 2012 his five-year contract finished and was not renewed.
At 26 he was a free agent and his professional career ended. He retired.
In his early days he had represented Italy U18's twice and the U19's once.
Artipoli was a defender. He was physically strong at 1.84 but never made it at top level. He showed promise in his youth but was one of the thousands of players who never really make it.
He did however play two official games for Lazio plus some friendlies and was in the squad that won the Super Coppa in 2009.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
2007-08 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Sources
Opmerkingen