Game 38, Serie A
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Stadio San Paolo, Naples
Napoli Lazio 2-4
Lazio clinch an incredible roller coaster game 4-2 and book a place in a Champions League preliminary
In the league Lazio had had a good season. They were currently in 3rd place. They had been 2nd until a few matches ago, but then drew with Atalanta and lost to Inter. They then won away against Sampdoria but then lost the derby. Lazio had won 20, drawn 6 and lost 11, so on 66 points.
Two teams went directly into the Champions League, but the third had access to a preliminary round. This match today was practically a playoff as Napoli were fourth. Lazio needed at least a draw.
The match
A big crowd turned up at Fuorigrotta for this decisive last game of the season.
Napoli opted for Dries Maertens and Gonzalo Higuain up front (with Lorenzo Insigne on the bench) while Lazio chose Filip Djordjevic and Felipe Anderson (with Miroslav Klose on the bench).
Napoli donned their traditional colours while Lazio played in their claret and light blue away kits.
A minute's silence was observed before the kick-off in the memory of former Napoli player and coach, Bruno Pesaola.
The first half hour was very tense with neither side getting the upper hand. The first big chance however fell to the hosts. Jose Callejon beat the offside trap and had only Federico Marchetti to beat but his low shot went a whisker wide.
In the 33rd minute, a little surprisingly, Lazio went ahead. Marco Parolo received the ball about 30 metres out and let off a cracking left foot, the ball took a very slight and innocuous touch off Gokahn Inler and flew over Mariano Andujar who got his fingers to it but could not stop it. Napoli 0 Lazio 1.
Napoli were stunned and just before the break it got worse. In the 46th minute, and only minute of added time, Lazio scored again. Kalidou Koulibaly mistimed a pass to David Lopez and Senad Lulic intercepted inside his own half, his quick thinking, low through ball suddenly gave Antonio Candreva acres of space to run towards goal then, having arrived to the edge of the area, he beat approaching Andujar with a low right foot. Napoli 0 Lazio 2.
Almost too good to be true for Lazio who had controlled Napoli well and struck with a Parolo gem and a clinical counter attack. Napoli now needed three unanswered goals to clinch 3rd place but not even the most optimistic Lazio fan thought it was over.
Napoli came out angry in the second half and pegged Lazio back. In the 53rd minute they threw on another striker, Manolo Gabbiadini, for Inler, a midfielder. In the 55th minute Napoli pulled one back and set the roller coaster in action. Parolo lost the ball just outside the area and Marek Hamsik cut it through to Callejon on the by-line, his precise low cross was tapped in by Higuain. Napoli 1 Lazio 2.
In the 62nd minute Lazio were reduced to ten men when Parolo was sent off for a second yellow. In the 69th minute Napoli equalised. Again Lazio were dispossessed, this time Anderson by Koulibaly, Mertens jumped a defender on the wing and put in a low cross to Higuain who eluded a defenders lunge and blasted the ball in from close range. Napoli 2 Lazio 2.
The Napoli faithful smelt blood and the stadium was on fire, things were not looking good for Lazio. A glimmer of hope came in the 70th minute when Napoli too were forced to play in a man less as Faouzi Goulam was given his marching orders.
The hope was short lived as in the 76th minute the "Partenopei" were awarded a penalty probably worth 9 billion Euros. Lulic was punished for bringing down Christian Maggio just inside the area, even though it looked as if the Neapolitan had fallen over the Bosnian. The fact was that the referee Rocchi, after consulting the linesman, pointed to the spot kick. The "Pepita" Higuain stepped up and, to the horror of the locals and relief of the Laziali, blasted the ball over the bar towards Vesuvius.
Lazio regained vigour after being on the brink of disaster. Nine minutes after the penalty drama an unlikely hero appeared in the form of Eddy Onazi. In the 85th minute he took advantage of a Napoli mistake in midfield, a lunging tackle became an assist for the Nigerian who got between two Napoli defenders and beat the keeper as he came out. Napoli 2 Lazio 3, a stunning turnaround in a memorable 30 minutes of football.
Napoli were distraught and a Klose header, from a Cristian Ledesma freekick, made it 4-2 in the 92nd minute. From joy to despair to ecstasy for the Biancocelesti. An incredible night gave Lazio third place and a Champions League preliminary qualification.
The hero was Nigerian Onazi and the Laziale saying "Onazi è l'unico nazi che ci piace" was never as popular. The saying is obviously lost in translation but is a play on words stating that the Nigerian is the only nazi we like.
Who played for Napoli
Andujar, Maggio, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam, David Lopez, Inler (53' Gabbiadini), Callejon (89' Zapata), Hamsik, Mertens (77' Insigne), Higuain
Substitutes: Rafael, Colombo, Mesto, Strinic, Henrique, Zuniga, Jorginho, Gargano
Manager: Benitez
Who played for Lazio
Marchetti, de Vrij, Gentiletti, Mauricio, Basta, Parolo, Cataldi (83' Onazi), Lulic, Candreva, Djordjevic (78' Klose), Felipe Anderson (65' Ledesma)
Manager: Pioli
Referee: Rocchi
Goals: 33' Parolo, 46' Candreva, 55' Higuain, 64' Higuain, 85' Onazi, 92' Klose
Sources
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