Lazio edge Samp in tense penalty shoot out and triumph for fifth time
A seemingly endless penalty roulette goes Lazio's way after a 1-1 draw.
Also on this day: May 13, 1979, Lazio Milan 1-1. An enjoyable game ends in a draw that pleases everyone. Non Lazio player of the day: Gianni Rivera
The season so far
This was a Cup Final so deserves to be treated accordingly.
We can just say how the two teams got to this prestigious final stage in Rome.
Lazio, under manager Delio Rossi, reached the final unbeaten. In the first round they had trounced Benevento 5-1 at home. Then came a 2-0 home victory over Atalanta. The third round was a difficult away game against Milan but Lazio won 2-1 in extra time with a Goran Pandev winner. In the quarterfinals the Biancocelesti defeated Torino 3-1 at home.
The semi-finals were a double-legged tie against Juventus. In the home match, Lazio came from behind to win 2-1 and then won with the same result in Turin. Lazio were in the final!
Sampdoria under Walter Mazzarri reached the final despite one defeat and a penalty shoot out. They entered the tournament in the third round and beat Empoli 2-1. In the quarters, they drew 1-1 away at Udinese and then 4-1 on penalties. In the double Semi-final against Inter they dominated 3-0 at home and then only lost 1-0 away. The Blucerchiati were in the final!
In the league Lazio and Sampdoria had won a game each (2-0 Lazio, 3-1 Sampdoria). They were also in similar positions, Lazio were 10th (had just lost 1-3 at home versus Udinese) and Sampdoria were 12th (had just beaten Reggina 5-0). The final announced to be a balanced affair.
The match: Wednesday, May 13, 2009, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
There was a full house at the Olimpico tonight, about 45,000 Laziali and 20,000 Sampdoriani. The tickets were distributed evenly but being played in Rome there were obviously more local fans. The President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano was also present in the grandstand for institutional reasons (his son however apparently is a big Lazio fan).
Delio Rossi chose Pandev, Pasquale Foggia and Mauro Zarate up front so Tommaso Rocchi was on the bench. In midfield Francelino Matuzalem was suspended so space for Cristian Ledesma, Ousmane Dabo and Cristian Brocchi with Stephan Lichsteiner and Alexsandar Kolarov pushing on the flanks. Sampdoria played with a very compact and solid midfield with all their hopes on the deadly duo Antonio Cassano-Giampaolo Pazzini in attack.
Lazio, just as in the recent derby, got off to a dream start. After four minutes they were in front. Zarate, as he had done against Roma, cut in from the left, jumping three or four players on the way, and sent a thundering shot into the opposite corner. A wonderful goal, Lazio 1 Samp 0.
The Blucerchiati, who had based the match on a defensive strategy, did not manage to change their game plan. Lazio dominated the first half hour. The Biancocelesti were in control and in the 28th minute had a double chance to extend their lead. A Kolarov shot was parried by Luca Castellazzi and then, from close range on the rebound, Pandev managed to find the keeper's body.
With their first opportunity, however, Sampdoria equalised. Cassano put a perfect ball into the area for Marius Stankevicius who headed on to Pazzini who again, with a low twist of the body, headed the ball past Fernando Muslera. Lazio 1 Sampdoria 1.
This time it was Lazio's turn to suffer from the setback. Their confidence faded and apart from an unstoppable Zarate, constantly fouled by the opponents, Lazio had difficulty reasserting control over the game. It was Sampdoria who had another chance with a Cassano free kick saved by Muslera. Halftime, all square at 1-1.
The teams started the second half unchanged. The only novelty was that Brocchi and Foggia swapped wings. Sampdoria had an early chance with Cassano, but his effort, between a shot and a cross, was cleared off the line by Kolarov. Lazio then had two opportunities but first Pandev's shot was blocked by Hugo Campagnaro and a little later Foggia shot high from a favourable position.
Lazio continued to attack and Sampdoria kept to their initial tactics but the Biancocelesti's energy started to fade. In the 73rd minute Rocchi replaced Pandev (who had been in doubt before the game due to injury) and Simone Del Nero came on for an exhausted Foggia.
Both teams were tiring and extra time became inevitable. The additional 30 minutes saw Sampdoria, having defended most of the match, with more to give. Not a lot happened but "Il Doria" had a Cassano shot go just over the bar and a Pazzini effort, set up by the Bari-born player, went wide.
So the game came to an end. Lazio had attacked more but Sampdoria with a solid defensive and physical display (six yellows, mainly to stop Zarate) had held their own. Both teams could have won but now it was all down to a tense penalty shoot out.
Unlike city rivals Roma, the Biancocelesti had never had this experience in a big tournament before, there was anxiety in the air.
So here we go. The Penalties
Cassano took the first shot. A low angled shot to the left was brilliantly saved by Muslera. MISSED
Ledesma next. The captain put a perfect shot in the top left hand corner. 1-0 Lazio.
Angelo Palombo. Medium height angled shot to the right. Muslera went the right way but 1-1.
Rocchi. Low angled shot to the left, post. MISSED 1-1
Pazzini. Ball central but keeper to the left. 2-1 Sampdoria.
David Rozehnal. Powerful medium height to the left, keeper to the right. 2-2.
Daniele Gastaldello. A hard but central shot was almost saved by Muslera but 3-2 Sampdoria.
Kolarov. Good low shot to the right, Castellazzi guessed correctly but 3-3.
Pietro Accardi. Central, Muslera to the right. 4-3 Sampdoria.
If Lazio missed now, it was all over.
Zarate. A half Palenka to the centre, keeper to the right. 4-4.
So after the first five penalties there was still no winner.
Gennaro Delvecchio. Medium height to the right, Muslera got a finger to it but 5-4 Sampdoria.
Lichsteiner. Perfect low penalty to the right, keeper to the left. 5-5.
Campagnaro. Central medium height, Muslera put a fist out and SAVED!
Lazio with a chance to win it now.
Dabo. Cracking low shot to the left, Castellazzi dived the right way but GOAL!! 6-5 (7-6 in total)
Lazio won the Coppa Italia!!
Delirium in the Lazio sectors. A deserved satisfaction for Delio Rossi who had served Lazio well and was in his last season as manager. Zárate, Muslera and Dabo were the heroes. The Frenchman was also the only surviving player from Lazio’s previous triumph in 2004.
So after a tense, balanced game and an extremely exciting penalty lottery (in hindsight anyway … at the time it was torture) Rocchi and Ledesma lifted Lazio’s fifth Coppa Italia to the Roman sky.
On a personal note the day after I caught a flight to Britain and my airplane had a Lazio scarf flying from the cockpit. I did not check if it was still there when we landed but even if it had gone flying over Europe somewhere it would be just as apt, as with this triumph that was exactly where we were heading, and to China of course.
Who played for Lazio
Muslera, Lichsteiner, Siviglia, Rozehnal, Kolarov, Brocchi (103' De Silvestri), Dabo, Ledesma, Foggia (80' Del Nero), Pandev (73' Rocchi), Zarate
Manager: D. Rossi
Who played for Sampdoria
Castellazzi, Campagnaro, Lucchini (96' Gastaldello), Accardi, Stankevicius, Sammarco (91' Dessena), Palombo, Franceschini (88' Delvecchio), Pieri, Pazzini, Cassano
Substitutes: Mirante, Raggi, Padalino, Marilungo
Manager: Mazzarri
Referee: Rosetti
Goals: 4' Zárate, 31' Pazzini
Pens:
Cassano (S)- MISSED
Ledesma (L)- GOAL
Palombo (S)- GOAL
Rocchi (L)- MISSED
Pazzini (S)- GOAL
Rozehnal (L)- GOAL
Gastaldello (S)- GOAL
Kolarov (L)- GOAL
Accardi (S)- GOAL
Zárate (L)- GOAL
Delvecchio (S)- GOAL
Lichtsteiner (L)- GOAL
Campagnaro (S)- MISSED
Dabo (L)- GOAL
Lazio in Coppa Italia 2008-09
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Coppa Italia | 7 | 6 | 1 | - | 17 |
Appearances and goals
Player | Appearances | Goals |
De Silvestri | 7 | - |
Foggia | 7 | - |
Ledesma | 7 | 1 |
Kolarov | 6 | 1 |
Lichtsteiner | 6 | - |
Muslera | 6 | - |
Pandev | 6 | 6 |
Dabo | 5 | - |
Mauri | 5 | 2 |
Rocchi | 5 | 2 |
Rozenhal | 5 | - |
Siviglia | 5 | - |
Zarate | 5 | 3 |
Brocchi | 4 | - |
Cribari | 3 | - |
Manfredini | 3 | 1 |
Matuzalem | 3 | - |
Meghni | 3 | 1 |
Diakité | 2 | - |
Makinwa | 2 | - |
Carrizo | 1 | - |
Del Nero | 1 | - |
Inzaghi | 1 | - |
Let's talk about Fernando Muslera
Fernando Muslera was born in Buenos Aires, on June 16, 1986. He is Uruguayan.
He started his footballing for Montevideo Wanderers youth sector in 2001. Between 2004 and 20007 he joined the first team squad and played 44 games for the "Bohemios". He then played 4 games for Nacional Montevideo before starting his European adventure.
Lazio were looking for a keeper as Angelo Peruzzi had retired. The choice fell on highly rated Argentinian Juan Pablo Carrizo but due to bureaucratic problems he would have to stay with River Plate another year. The Romans then turned to Muslera who arrived in Rome in the exchange of 3 million Euros.
In Rome Muslera's first manager in 2007 was Delio Rossi. He made his debut in Lazio -Empoli on September 15, 2007. In his fifth match he made a series of howlers in a 1-5 home defeat against Milan and was dropped in favour of veteran Marco Ballotta. He played on and off getting 9 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia. Lazio finished 12th.
In the 2008-09 season, again under Rossi, he played slightly more often despite the arrival of Carrizo. The Argentine, welcomed like the new messiah, was not as reliable as hoped and Muslera made 15 league appearances and 6 in Coppa Italia. Muslera played the winning derby in April but it was in the Cup Final against Sampdoria that he lived his finest hour saving two penalties in the shoot out helping Lazio lift the trophy.
The following season Lazio had a new manager, Davide Ballardini. The season started well and Lazio won the Supercoppa 2-1 against the seemingly invincible Inter of Mourinho. Muslera had a brilliant game making some superb and crucial saves. Lazio’s season then went downhill. Ballardini was sacked and replaced by Edy Reja on February 10. Muslera however had a good season playing 36 league games, 2 in Coppa Italia, 4 in EL plus the historic Supercoppa in Beijing. Lazio came 12th in the league.
In 2010-11 Edy Reja stayed on and Lazio had a decent season coming 5th. Muslera played 36 league games but these would be his last for Lazio. The Biancocelesti had signed Federico Marchetti from Cagliari and Muslera was sold to Galatasaray in the deal to bring Albanian defender Lorik Cana to Lazio.
Muslera has been with "Cimbom" in Turkey ever since. He has played 437 games (355 in league, 19 in cup, 56 in Europe and 7 Supercups. He has won plenty; 5 league titles, 4 Turkish Cups and 5 Supercups. In 2012 he scored a goal from a penalty in a 4-0 win against Manisaspor. Last year he suffered a serious leg injury but he is now back and going strong. He is a club hero at "Gala".
At international level he has earned 133 caps for Uruguay. He is their most capped goalkeeper in history and 4th player in total. He has played in three World Cups; 2010, 2014, 2018. In 2010, in South Africa, Uruguay reached the semi-final only missing out on the final after a 3-2 defeat by Holland. In the epic quarter final against Ghana he saved two penalties in the shoot out. In 2018 his mistake contributed to the defeat by France in the quarterfinals. He has played in 5 Copa Americas, winning one in 2011.
Muslera is 1.91 for 74 kilos. He is a very agile keeper with good reflexes. He is capable of amazing saves but is also prone to unexpected mistakes, with age however these have become less frequent.
At Lazio he arrived very young. He was immediately thrown into the deep end as an alternative to Carrizo. He showed his age and inexperience with a series of mistakes but improved with time. For his youth and physical appearance he was affectionately nicknamed "Castorino" (Little Beaver). He was never considered completely reliable but made some incredible saves and won two trophies as absolute protagonist. He played 113 games for the Biancocelesti. All Laziali have a soft spot for "Castorino" and think of him in connection to the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa of 2009.
On a personal note I was in Norway when the Supercoppa was being played in Beijing. In mid- afternoon a message came through to the fjords on my old Nokia phone, it was from my late father, it read Lazio 2 Inter 1! Muslera brilliant!
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League | Super Coppa |
2007-08 | 13 | 9 | 4 | - | - |
2008-09 | 21 | 15 | 6 | - | - |
2009-10 | 43 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
2010-11 | 36 | - | - | - | - |
Total | 113 | 96 | 12 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
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