Salas-Mancini-Vieri full steam ahead

Dag Jenkins

Jan 17, 20244 min read

Season 1998-99

Game 17, Serie A

Sunday, January 17, 1999

Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma

Parma Lazio 1-3

With three goals by their strikers Lazio win important title clash

In Serie A so far Lazio had played 16 games. They got off to a sluggish start and in the first ten games had won 3 (including Inter 5-3 away), drawn 4 (including first 3) and lost 3. The Biancocelesti had then drawn a thrilling derby 3-3 and since then were flying. Lazio had won the last 5 consecutive games (including Juventus 1-0 away). The previous week Lazio had defeated league leaders Fiorentina 2-0 at home. Lazio were now only three points off the top (Fiorentina and today's opponents Parma). The table read Fiorentina 32, Parma 32, Lazio 29, Milan and Inter 27.

A big match tonight at the Tardini in what looked like a Scudetto clash. Meanwhile Fiorentina would play Cagliari at home.

The match

A dry but humid evening in Parma attracted about 25,000 to the Tardini.

Parma were without midfielder Nestor Sensini, while Lazio had Pavel Nedved unavailable.

Parma started aggressively with a high press and put Lazio under some initial pressure. Lazio then had a chance when Gianluigi Buffon was forced out of his area to head the ball away from oncoming Marcelo Salas and it fell to Christian Vieri who tried an ambitious volley over the keeper from at least 40 metres but it was off target.

In the 15th minute Hernan Crespo claimed Sinisa Mihajlovic handballed when challenging him but the referee ignored it.

Lazio responded with a Sergio Conceição effort from outside the area following a Mihajlovic corner but it went fairly wide to Buffon's left post. Then the Biancocelesti had a double penalty appeal on the same move, first Paolo Negro was seemingly tripped entering the area and then Buffon appeared to pull Vieri down. Again, Bazzoli was not interested.

Lazio insisted and Mihajlovic saw one of his classic curling freekicks go very near Parma's left post. Parma hit back with some end of half pressure and following a scramble Matías Almeyda had to clear the ball from near the goal line. Halftime Parma 0 Lazio 0.

A lively first 45 minutes but no goals yet. Lazio had been the more dangerous.

There were no changes at the break. Parma started similarly to the first half and Crespo fired over the bar with his left from a Fabio Cannavaro through ball.

In the 54th minute Lazio were awarded a penalty. On the left, Almeyda passed to Beppe Pancaro who made his way into the box, but was tripped by Luigi Sartor and this time Bazzoli had no doubts. Salas then cracked a perfect, strong penalty, centrally under the crossbar. Parma 0 Lazio 1. Lazio celebrated under the thousands of travelling fans.

Parma were not having it and equalised almost immediately with a move by three Lazio connections, past and future. In the 54th minute Diego Fuser put in a hopeful up and under from near the right corner flag, it was headed on by Enrico Chiesa and latched onto by Crespo who got in front of Negro and scored from close range. Parma 1 Lazio 1.

Lazio reacted with an excellent Conceição cross from the left but neither Salas nor Vieri could get a touch.

The game was now spectacular and end to end and another future Lazio player Dino Baggio tried his luck but Luca Marchegiani blocked centrally.

In the 67th minute the Ducali took off Chiesa and brought on, former Roma, Abel Balbo.

A minute later Lazio scored. In the 68th minute the Biancocelesti had a corner from the left, Mihajlovic swung it in and Roberto Mancini, with a stroke of genius and with his back to the goal, backheeled it into the roof of the net. An amazing goal, one of the best in Lazio history and Parma 1 Lazio 2.

Parma then attacked furiously. Antonio Benarrivo crossed from the left into the crowded area where Balbo got a good header in, but Marchegiani sprung to his left and blocked. Dino Baggio a few minutes later fired over the bar.

In the 81st minute Malesani increased the hosts attacking weight by bringing off defender Sartor and putting on attacking midfielder Pier Luigi Orlandini.

Parma continued to attack and Fuser teed up Crespo in front of Marchegiani on the right, but the "Count" raced off his line, dived low at Crespo's feet and the ball went out for a corner. Even Cannavaro attempted a long range shot, but Marchegiani parried into corner.

In the last minutes Lazio tried to interrupt Parma's rhythm but also to put on fresh legs and in the 87th minute replaced Conceição with Guerino Gottardi and in the 89th Mancini with Fernando Couto. Clearly two conservative and defensive substitutions.

Parma still generously went forward but started to lose balance and Lazio suddenly had space. Dejan Stankovic put Vieri in front of Buffon but the national keeper was quick off his line and got to the ball a fraction earlier.

In the 91st minute Lazio sealed the victory. On a long ball over the defence, Vieri surged forward and suddenly had only Buffon to beat. He duly did so with a powerful left foot over the keeper who was slightly off his line. Parma 1 Lazio 3. The third goal in three games since his return for "Bobo". Final score 1-3.

A highly entertaining game between two excellent sides. It could have gone either way but Lazio had deserved the win if only for the quality of Mancini’s goal, absolute masterclass. Parma had confirmed to be a class team but tonight was Lazio's time to celebrate.

Lazio moved up to joint 2nd with Parma on 32 points, three behind Fiorentina who had beaten Cagliari 4-2 at home.

Who played for Parma

Buffon, Sartor (81' Orlandini), Thuram, Cannavaro, Fuser, D. Baggio, Boghossian, Benarrivo, Veron, Crespo, Chiesa (67' Balbo)