Lazio beat Roma, again

Updated: Nov 11

Season 1997-98

Wednesday, January 21, 1998

Coppa Italia, Quarter Final, Second Leg

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Roma Lazio 1-2

Lazio also won the second leg of the Coppa Italia quarter final derby with a goal from Gottardi in the dying minutes of the match.

The season in Coppa Italia so far

It had not been an easy ride so far. Lazio entered the competition in the second round and met Fidelis Andria who played in Serie B that season. After winning away 3-0 (thanks to an own goal and two Beppe Signori goals), the second leg was almost a friendly with the Biancocelesti winning 3-2 (another Signori double plus a goal from Alen Boksic).

In the third round Lazio faced a struggling Napoli. The first leg, at home, saw Lazio destroy any hopes Napoli had of playing the decisive match in the second leg at home. 4-0 to Lazio thanks to two braces, one from Boksic and yet another from Signori. The return match should have just been a formality but Napoli fought to the death and won 3-0 putting Lazio’s qualification at great risk.

This meant that the quarter final was going to be a double derby, since Roma had eliminated first Verona, then Udinese. The first leg was embarrassing. So clear was Lazio’s superiority that Roma really did not stand a chance. The final result, 4-1 with goals from Boksic, Vladimir Jugovic on penalty, Roberto Mancini and Diego Fuser, meant that Roma had to win the return match 3-0, at least. Strangely enough many Roma supporters were still feeling optimistic.

The match

Roma were determined to overturn the result and a foul after only three seconds showed just how intense this match was going to be. The Giallorossi were however incapable of translating their intensity into pressure and serious goal opportunities.

Lazio had many chances to score in the first half. A Pavel Nedved shot was well saved by Michael Konsel who also denied Roberto Mancini's two chances. Without the injured Alen Boksic it was up to the former Sampdoria captain to bear the weight of the Lazio attack.

In the dying seconds of the first half Lazio Lazio went ahead. Beppe Pancaro cleared a ball which was picked up on the right-hand side by Roberto Rambaudi. The Lazio winger was fouled by Filippo Dal Moro inside the penalty box. No doubt in anybody’s mind, penalty. Vladimir Jugovic whacked the ball centrally under the crossbar and Lazio were in the semis.

In the second half Lazio slowed down and Roma took advantage. In the 54th minute Vincent Candela went into the penalty box, ball to Francesco Totti who passed it back to the Frenchman. His shot was walled by the defence but Paul Sergio was in perfect position to equalise.

Roma had 35 minutes to attempt something but decided that it was more fun to repeatedly and dirtily foul Lazio players. The Biancocelesti had their chances with Mancini and especially Giorgio Venturin who got to the ball a fraction too late after a Rambaudi cross. After a chance for Damiano Tommasi anticipated by Luca Marchegiani, Alessandro Nesta harpooned a ball from Marco Delvecchio's feet, he tried to start a counter attack but was slowed down by Totti’s attempt to stop him come what may, and again by Del Vecchio before Luigi Di Biagio settled the matter with a final filthy foul that earned him a red card. It was the 72nd minute.

In the fourth minute of injury time, Paolo Negro cleared and the ball, deflected by another Roma player, reached Tommasi who, in an attempt to head the ball forward, actually passed it backwards to Guerino Gottardi. The Swiss had a chance to become a legend and he did not miss it. 2-1 for Lazio, game over.