Game 21, Serie A
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo
Palermo Lazio 0-3
After a difficult first fifteen minutes Lazio dominate and comfortably win the Champions League clash against third placed Palermo.
Lazio had lost the first two games (Milan and Palermo) and were having an up and down season with disappointing draws (Empoli, Reggina, Cagliari, Livorno, Siena), some victories (Atalanta, Chievo, Udinese, Messina, Torino, Ascoli, Parma) and more bruising defeats (Catania, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Inter).The highlight had definitely been a 3-0 drubbing of Roma in the derby (Cristian Ledesma, Massimo Oddo and Massimo Mutarelli).
A week earlier Lazio had drawn 0-0 at home to Milan and so far had won 8, drawn 6 and lost 6 giving them 29 points (starting from -3).
The match
The match was a half eight kick-off on a mild evening and played in front of 25,000 spectators.
There was a slight surprise in Lazio's starting XI as Stephan Makinwa (former Palermo) was preferred to Goran Pandev. So it was the Nigerian who would partner with Tommaso Rocchi up front.
The first fifteen minutes were hellish for Lazio. The Sicilians had several chances but did not score due to inaccurate finishing by Andrea Caracciolo (weak shot saved by Angelo Peruzzi) and Bresciano (over the bar) in particular. To be fair to Caracciolo he did actually then score a goal, but it was controversially judged offside by the linesman, while he may have been kept onside by Luciano Zauri. So for a quarter of an hour Palermo were all over Lazio, striker David Di Michele in particular seemed unstoppable. Then things started to change gradually.
Lazio grew into the game and started having some chances of their own. In the 15th minute a superb through ball by Stefano Mauri put Rocchi one-on-one with the keeper but his shot bounced off Alberto Fontana's face. Gaby Mudingayi then belted a long range shot just over the bar.
Palermo were by no means dormant and continued to attack. A brilliant curling shot by Di Michele was tipped over the bar by Peruzzi and Valon Behrami almost committed an own goal on a dangerous cross from the right.
So the game was more balanced but it still came as a slight surprise when Lazio went ahead in the 44th minute. Makinwa went down the left side of the area towards the goal line and got a deflected pass back to Rocchi in front of goal, his first left strike was saved by Fontana, but the ball came straight back to the Venetian who this time with his right foot scored. Halftime score Palermo 0 Lazio 1.
The locals must have felt a little hard done by but in the second half Lazio dominated. In the 52nd minute the Biancocelesti doubled their lead. A free kick into the box by Ledesma was headed towards goal by Sebastiano Siviglia, the keeper got a hand to it but could not prevent it going in, 2-0 to Lazio.
Lazio were now in complete control and Mauri almost made it three. A Rocchi shot was blocked by Andrea Barzagli and fell to Mauri in front of goal, but his shot was well saved by Fontana. The 70th minute witnessed the Lazio debut of new arrival Luis Jiménez.
The third goal looked imminent and it came in the 78th minute. Makinwa was hacked down in the area by Eugenio Corini for a clear penalty. Rocchi put it away with a central spot kick for his ninth goal of the season. It was also his first penalty, as until recently Oddo had been the specialist.
The game had nothing more to say. Final score Palermo 0 Lazio 3.
After a difficult start Lazio had well deserved the three points and moved up to 4th in the table behind Palermo still in third. The champions league battle was definitely on.
Who played for Palermo
Fontana, Cassani (69' Diana), Zaccardo, Barzagli, Pisano, Guana, Corini, Simplicio (69' G.Tedesco), Di Michele, Caracciolo, Bresciano (60' Brienza)
Subs: Agliardi, Dellafiore, Parravicini, Capuano
Manager: Guidolin
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Behrami, Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri, Mudingayi, Ledesma, Mutarelli (91' Firmani), Mauri (70' Jimenez), Rocchi (89' Pandev), Makinwa
Manager: Rossi
Referee: Dondarini
Goals: 45' Rocchi, 52' Siviglia, 78' Rocchi (pen)
Sources
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