A Candreva "Panenka" is enough

Season 2014-15

Game 23, Serie A

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Stadio Friuli, Udine

Udinese Lazio 0-1

A cheeky, chipped penalty is all Lazio need to conquer the Friuli

Lazio were currently in 6th position, on 34 points but only one behind Sampdoria and Fiorentina on 35.

A difficult game to predict today between two off form teams.

The match

A grey day in Udine, one of the best places to live in Italy despite the climate. A small crowd of 11,000 was in attendance but this was also because the stadium was undergoing major restructuring.

Lazio were missing defenders Lorik Cana and Michaël Ciani, midfielders Stefano Mauri and Senad Lulic plus striker Filip Djordjevic while Udinese were without defenders Thomas Heurtaux and Giovanni Pasquale plus midfielder Panagiotis Kone.

The first shot at goal was for the hosts but Etrit Berisha tipped a dangerous Antonio Di Natale free kick, from outside the area on the left, over the bar.

Udinese then had a Silvan Widmer shot but it was central and weak so no problem for Berisha.

Lazio realised Udinese were not particularly threatening and started to move forward. In the 22nd minute Antonio Candreva put an inviting cross in from the right, it bounced and before Miro Klose could head towards goal he was pushed from behind by Molla Wague. Massa pointed to the penalty spot, slightly generous but there had definitely been a push. Candreva stepped up and with a beautiful "Panenka" chip beat Orestis Karnezis. Udinese 0 Lazio 1.

Udinese's reaction was far from furious and all they mustered was a Di Natale mis-hit lob which Berisha caught easily.

Lazio went closer with Candreva again, from an Eddy Onazi low cross, he controlled the ball just inside the area but pulled his left footed effort wide. Halftime Udinese 0 Lazio 1.

The Biancocelesti were leading with the minimum effort so far, not dominating but risking very little too.

For the second half Danilo Cataldi came on replacing Onazi in central midfield

Lazio then had a huge chance to double their lead. After a Marco Parolo initiative on the left side of the area, the ball reached Felipe Anderson whose shot was blocked. The ball then spun across to Candreva who hammered a low shot towards goal but it was saved by Karnezis with his feet, it came back to Anderson but he blasted it over the bar. Three chances in one but without luck.

Udinese tried to gather some momentum. Di Natale floated a freekick into the area, it was cleared but only as far as the edge of the area where it was headed back in, and Emmanuel Badu got another header in towards goal from a good position but Berisha blocked without excessive difficulty.

Lazio had space on the counter attack. Dušan Basta used his speed to burst down the right to the by-line from where he crossed low but Widmer put in a fantastic tackle to prevent Klose from scoring.

Udinese's most dangerous effort was with a Badu right foot from the edge of the box, Berisha parried and on the rebound Di Natale appeared to be tripped by Mauricio but the striker had been in offside so the problem was resolved.

Udinese had no final forcing although they did have one final dangerous long distance shot which Berisha did well to get a hand to under the crossbar and put over for a corner.

That was the home side's last threat and after four minutes of added time Massa blew the final whistle. Udinese 0 Lazio 1.

Not a vintage performance by Lazio but all in all a deserved win. Lazio had controlled the game for large periods despite not having a lot of goal scoring chances. Udinese never really put Lazio in trouble apart from a few long range efforts.

An important win for the Biancocelesti, for morale, after two defeats, but also for the table as they moved up to 5th place overtaking Sampdoria.

Udinese's long wait for a home win continued (October 26) but the Bianconeri still had an eight-point cushion on the last relegation slot, Cagliari on 20.

Who played for Udinese

Karnezis, Wague, Danilo, Widmer, Allan, Badu, Gabriel Silva (53' Evangelista), Fernandes (61' Guilherme), Thereau (77' Aguirre), Di Natale

Substitutes: Scuffet, Meret, Bubnjic, Jadson, Pinzi, Perica

Manager: Stramaccioni

Who played Lazio

Berisha, Basta, de Vrij, Mauricio, Radu, Onazi (46' Cataldi), Biglia, Parolo, Candreva (71' Keita), Klose (75' Perea), F. Anderson