After initial difficulties Lazio sweep away Inter

Season 1994-95

Game 31, Serie A

Sunday, May 14, 1995

Stadio Olimpico

Lazio Inter 4-1

One nil down after five minutes Lazio gradually stir and their prolific attack comes to life giving Inter no chance

Source Lazio Wiki

A crowd of 55,000 came out on a pleasant, May day in Rome.

Lazio were without Paul Gascoigne but they were used to that this season. Defender Beppe Favalli was back after three months while Inter had to do without Dutch star Dennis Bergkamp.

The game started with a bang and, after a Beppe Signori scissor kick over the bar, in the 5th minute the visitors were already in front. Luca Marchegiani had already dived at Delvecchio's feet to avert the first threat. Then from the subsequent corner Inter scored. The corner came in high from Bianchi, Berti jumped up for the header between Cristiano Bergodi and Paolo Negro and the ball bounced away from the goal but came back off Negro and the Interista blasted a scissor kick into the top left corner. It was slightly lucky in the build up but Berti took it well. Lazio 0 Inter 1.

Inter were on a high and Lazio were taking time to get going. Dutchman Wim Jonk had a crack from outside but it flew over the bar.

Lazio finally stirred and Diego Fuser raced down the right wing and squared to Alen Boksic who hit it first time but way off target. Signs of life at least from the Biancocelesti.

Inter then wasted a big chance with Marco Delvecchio, the future Roma striker cut inside José Antonio Chamot from the left but once in the area the ball was on his wrong foot and, from a favourable position, he placed a weak, low effort into Marchegiani's arms.

Inter insisted and a good one-two move, started off with a back heel to Massimo Orlando on the right, was finished of by Pierluigi Orlandini but just wide.

After having been subdued for so long Lazio came to life. First Roberto Rambaudi tried his luck with a left foot but Gianluca Pagliuca was safe. Then it all clicked.  A sublime low, cutting through ball by Rambaudi found Signori unmarked in front of Pagliuca, he went round him but was pulled down. No doubts about it, penalty. The Inter keeper however was not sent off as expected but got away with a yellow card. Signori then scored the spotkick sending Pagliuca the wrong way. Lazio 1 Inter 1.

Lazio were suddenly on and took the lead a few minutes later. In the 38th minute Rambaudi was again the assist man with another surgical through ball this time to Negro who ran onto it and scored with a low right foot, beating Pagliuca coming off his line. Lazio 2 Inter 1. In three minutes the home side had turned the game around. Halftime came with Lazio ahead.

Inter had started well but as soon as Lazio came alive they were in great difficulty.

Just after the break, in the 48th minute former Lazio idol Rubén Sosa came on for Bianchi.

Lazio started where he had finished off. Boksic teed up Signori on the left side of the area but his low finish lacked the usual power and was saved by Pagliuca with his feet.

In the 51st minute Inter made their second substitution and Mirko Conte replaced Orlando.

Boksic then had a go but his low left footed strike was too central.

Inter reappeared up front but it was an isolated event. Orlandini went for an ambitious lob from about  35 metres out, it was a good effort but "Il Conte" stepped back and tipped it over the bar.

In the 72nd minute Lazio made it three. Aron Winter protected a ball well on the left side of the area and served Boksic who powered towards the byline and beautifully chipped the ball across goal where Rambaudi let it bounce and then hammered a low shot into the net. Lazio 3 Inter 1.

Lazio were rampant, in complete control and  in the 75th minute almost scored three times on the same move. First Signori forced Paglica into a low save after a classy one -two with Boksic, the rebound reached Aron Winter on the left who blasted a low left foot saved by Pagliuca with his feet on the near post and finally the ball was cleared out to Fuser at the edge of the box who fired a powerful high efforr which the busy Pagliuca palmed over the bar. It was a bombing by Lazio.

In the 78th minute Inter were reduced to ten men when Massimo Paganin was forced off injured on a stretcher.

Inter tried to get back into the game. Sosa had a crack from outside the area but Marchegiani caught it comfortably. Then in the 90th minute Orlandini tried another chipped lob and this time it hit the bar.

In the meantime Lazio had replaced Boksic with Gigi Casiraghi in the 86th and Fuser with Giorgio Venturin in the 87th.

In the 93rd minute Lazio ended on a high. Roberto Di Matteo found Signori on the right side of the area and he floated a cross onto the other side where Winter nodded in a close range header into the top left corner, giving the hapless Pagliuca no chance. Lazio 4 Inter 1.

An excellent victory for Lazio. They had needed a while to carburate but once they did there was no stopping them. Their attack confirmed, on a good day, to be explosive. They had now scored 66 goals so far  this season.

The table looked healthier too with the Biancocelesti up to solitary 4th place on 54 points. Lazio had overtaken Roma on 52 as they had been defeated 1-0 by Milan. A satisfying Sunday for Lazio.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Negro, Favalli, Di Matteo, Bergodi, Chamot, Rambaudi, Fuser (87' Venturin), Boksic (86' Casiraghi), Winter, Signori

Substitutes: Orsi, Bacci, Bonomi

Manager: Zeman

Who played for Inter

Pagliuca, Bergomi, M.Pagani, Orlando (51' M. Conte), Festa, Bia, Bianchi (48' Ruben Sosa), Jonk, Delvecchio, Berti, Orlandini

Substitutes: Mondini, A.Paganin, Fontolan

Manager: O. Bianchi

Referee: Treossi

Goals: 5' Berti, 35' Signori  (pen), 38' Negro, 72' Rambaudi, 93' Winter

Source

Lazio Wiki