April 1, 2007: Udinese-Lazio 2-4
- Dag Jenkins
- Apr 1
- 10 min read
7 wins in a row
Lazio continue Champions League dream with convincing away win in Friuli
Also on this day:
The season so far
It was Delio Rossi's second year in charge and the main new players of note were defender Modibo Diakité (Pescara), midfielders Cristian Ledesma (Lecce) and Massimo Mutarelli (Palermo), plus attacking midfielder Pasquale Foggia (Ascoli-but bought from Milan). In January Lazio had also signed Chilean midfielder Luis Jiménez (Ternana on loan) while Foggia had been sent out on loan (Reggina).
Meanwhile, Lazio had lost midfielders Ousmane Dabo (Manchester City- he would return two years later), Fabio Liverani (Fiorentina) and above all charismatic leader Paolo Di Canio (Cisco Roma). In the winter transfer window Lazio had also lost Massimo Oddo to Milan for 11 million Euros.
The season for Lazio started with a 3-point deduction (reduced from the original 11) due to the previous year's Calciopoli scandal in which they had been docked 30 points, thus losing their UEFA Cup place.
Lazio's season had started in August in Coppa Italia. They knocked out Rende 4-0 and Monza on penalties but then lost 4-3 to Messina after extra-time. No cup run this year.
In Serie A, Lazio had lost the first two games (Milan and Palermo). In the first half of the season the Biancocelesti were up and down 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 (Ledesma, Oddo and Mutarelli) in December. At the halfway point Lazio were joint 4th but 12 points behind Palermo in 3rd.
In the return fixtures things were so far going a lot better. Not only were they unbeaten, with 2 draws and 7 wins but they were currently on a roll of 6 consecutive victories. The Biancocelesti were up to 3rd place with a 3-point advantage on Palermo and 4 on Milan. So far Rocchi had 13 league goals and Pandev 10.
Udinese had finished 11th the previous season. They had three different managers; Serse Cosmi, Loris Dominissini and then Giovanni Galeone. Against Lazio the Bianconeri had won 3-0 in Friuli and drawn 1-1 in Rome. They had reached the semi-finals of Coppa Italia but were beaten 2-3 on aggregate by Inter. Top scorer was Vincenzo Iaquinta with 9 league goals.
In the summer a few new players had arrived: defenders Andrea Coda (Empoli) and Andrea Dossena (Treviso), midfielders Gaetano D'Agostino (Messina), José Montiel (Olimpia Asunción) and Guilherme Siqueira (Inter - via Lazio) plus forward Asamoah Gyan (Modena - back from loan).
Leaving Friuli were: defenders Valerio Bertotto (Siena, after 404 games), Mirko Pieri (Sampdoria), Vincent Candela (Siena), midfielders José Luís Vidigal (Livorno), Fernando Tissone (Atalanta), Piermario Morosini (Bologna - on loan), Roberto Baronio (Lazio - end of loan) plus forwards David Di Michele (Palermo), Fausto Rossini (Catania) and Simone Pepe (Cagliari - on loan).
This season the manager was initially Giovanni Galeone but he was replaced from January 21 by Alberto Malesani (with Udinese in joint 9th place with Milan on 23 points). Udinese were now 7th on 38 points. The Friulani had won 10, drawn 8 and lost 11 (including Lazio 0-5 away). In the previous game they had trounced Livorno 4-0 at home.
In Coppa Italia the Bianconeri had surprisingly been eliminated in August by Arezzo away on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Lazio were slight favourites today as they were in such good form.
The match: Sunday, April 1, 2007, Stadio Friuli, Udine
A grey and dark afternoon brought about 20,000 to the Friuli stadium.
Lazio were without defender Emílson Cribari plus midfielders Gaby Mudingayi and Massimo Mutarelli.
Udinese were missing former Lazio midfielder Giampiero Pinzi who was suspended plus Damiano Zenoni and forward Asamoah Gyan.
In the first quarter of an hour both sides sized each other up and not much happened.
The game came alive in the 18th minute. Cristian Ledesma curled a central free kick into the box from about 40 metres and Guglielmo Stendardo, from just inside, brilliantly twisted his body to send a header into the right-hand corner. Udinese 0 Lazio 1.
Udinese struggled to regroup and Christian Manfredini almost made it two but his low strike from the left side of the area was saved with his feet by Morgan De Sanctis.
In the 25th minute the hosts finally threatened when a Tomáš Sivok header had to be tipped over the bar by Angelo Peruzzi. In the 27th minute the Bianconeri went close again but a Sulley Muntari freekick went just wide of Peruzzi's left post.
Lazio then controlled the remainder of the half without running any further risks. Half time: Udinese 0 Lazio 1.
At the beginning of the second half Lazio struck on a set piece again. In the 50th minute Ledesma floated in a long freekick from the right and on the far post near the by-line Tommaso Rocchi stretched and put it low into the middle where Stefano Mauri was the quickest to get to it and scored from close range. Udinese 0 Lazio 2.
A minute later Lazio practically closed the contest. Rocchi did well near the left corner flag to get a cross in and Valon Behrami came running in and blasted a mid-height shot past De Sanctis, 0-3.
A minute later, from a corner, Sivok had another header which forced Peruzzi to dive low to his right and parry, a brilliant save.
Udinese pushed forward and in the 58th minute were awarded a penalty. On a cross from the left, the ball hit Luciano Zauri's arm, from about a metre away, and the referee generously pointed to the penalty spot. Totó Di Natale hit a mid-height penalty to the left which Peruzzi got a hand to but could not keep out, 1-3.
Udinese's hopes of a comeback lasted not even a minute. Rocchi, just inside the left vertex of the area, went between two defenders, Raffaele Di Martino and Tomáš Zapotocny, one of whom, if not both, tripped up the Venetian forward and Paparesta had no doubts, penalty. Rocchi stepped up and sent the ball low to the right and De Sanctis to the left. Udinese 1 Lazio 4.
In the 63rd minute the Bianconeri put on World Champion forward Vincenzo Iaquinta for Sivok. The Bianconero striker had been out injured for a month.
In the 65th Iaquinta got involved immediately and squared into the middle for Muntari but the Ghanaian blasted over the bar from a favourable position.
In the 66th the Zebrette tried throwing on Guilherme Siqueira for De Martino.
Goran Pandev then could have made it five but with only the keeper to beat was undecided whether to shoot or go around him and ended up doing neither and De Sanctis clawed away the ball and blocked.
Pandev then had another chance on the break but his low left foot from just inside the area on the right was parried by De Sanctis who also saved Mauri's attempted tap-in on the rebound but the midfielder was in offside anyway.
In the 75th minute for Udinese Christian Obodo replaced Zápotočný and in the 79th Pandev went off for Stephen Makinwa for Lazio.
In the 81st minute Udinese were down to ten men. Ledesma and Gaetano D'Agostino went up for a header in midfield and the referee claimed the Sicilian had used his elbow so got a direct red.
In the 89th minute Lazio made their third substitution bringing on defender Modibo Diakité for Stendardo.
The game was lost but Udinese still attacked in the final minutes. Peruzzi had to push a dangerous Cristián Zapata header over the bar. They then got a consolation goal in the 92nd minute. Obodo crossed in a low freekick from the right into a crowded area and it went through a number of legs before Iaquinta got a touch with his heel and gave Peruzzi no chance. Udinese 2 Lazio 4 and final score.
A good win for the Biancocelesti and an impressive 7th in a row. The win was never really in doubt and Lazio were still 3rd but now had five points advantage on Palermo and six on Milan (they had both drawn). With eight games to go things were looking good.
Udinese were still 7th but now in the company of Fiorentina on 38 points.
Who played for Udinese
De Sanctis, Zapotocny (75' Obodo), Coda, Zapata, De Martino (66' Siqueira), Sivok (63' Iaquinta), D'Agostino, Muntari, Dossena, Barreto, Di Natale
Substitutes: Casazza, Natali, Motta, Gotti
Manager: Malesani
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Belleri, Stendardo (89' Diakité), Siviglia, Zauri, Behrami, Ledesma, Manfredini, Mauri, Pandev (79' Makinwa), Rocchi
Manager: Rossi (Maurizio Manzini on bench today due to suspension)
Referee: Paparesta
Goals: 18' Stendardo, 50' Mauri, 51' Behrami, 58' Di Natale (pen), 59' Rocchi (pen), 92' Iaquinta
Red Card: 81' D'Agostino
What happened next
Lazio’s winning roll continued for one more game (Messina 1-0 at home) as then they drew 2-2 at Ascoli. A few days later they drew 0-0 at home to Chievo and then lost 0-1 at home to Fiorentina. They then drew the derby 0-0 but next up beat Livorno 1-0 at home. It was their last win as two defeats and a draw followed. Lazio had however already done enough to conquer 3rd place and an unexpected but extremely welcome Champions League Preliminary qualification. A great season, starting from minus three points and with a satisfying 3-0 derby win thrown in as well. Top scorer was Tommaso Rocchi with 19 goals (16 in A).
Lazio then qualified for the Champions League beating Dinamo Bucharest 4-2 on aggregate.
Udinese finished 10th. In the last 8 games the Zebrette won 2 (including Milan 3-2 away), drew 2 and lost 4. Top scorer was Vincenzo Iaquinta with 14 league goals.
The Scudetto was won by Inter for the 15th time. For Serie B football it was Ascoli, Chievo and Messina (the Sicilians have not been seen again while Chievo bounced straight back and stayed another ten years but now play in amateur leagues).
Let's talk about Riccardo Bonetto
Riccardo Bonetto was born in Asolo (Treviso) on March 20, 1979.
His youth football was with Juventus. In 1996 he joined the first team squad but never made his debut.
In January 1998 he was sent to Novara on loan. The Azzurri were in Serie C2 and Bonetto played 15 games and scored 1 goal. Novara finished 11th.
Over the next three seasons he spent loan spells at Fermana in C1 (0 appearances), KSK Beveren in Belgian top flight (25 appearances with 2 goals) and Arezzo in C1 (30 appearances with 3 goals).
In 2001 he signed for Empoli in Serie B. The Tuscans were promoted to Serie A and Bonetto played 11 league games. The manager was Silvio Baldini and his teammates included Lazio connections Tommaso Rocchi (2004-13), Emílson Cribari (2005-10), Manuel Belleri (2005-07) and Mark Bresciano (2010-11).
In 2002-03 he spent half a season with Ascoli in Serie B. The Bianconeri finished 12th under Giuseppe Pillon. Bonetto played 11 league games.
In January however he joined Lucchese in Serie C1 on loan. The Panthers finished 14th and Bonetto played 13 league games with 1 goal.
In 2003 he returned to Empoli and stayed two and a half seasons. In his first year he hardly played due to a bad injury. The Azzurri were in Serie A but were relegated, then finished 1st in Serie B under Mario Somma. In his third year he stayed until January and then left for Ascoli. He played 53 league games and scored 2 goals in his second spell in Empoli. In his first year Rocchi, Cribari and Belleri were still there, as was Pasquale Foggia (Lazio 2006-07, 2008-11, 2012-13).
In January he went back to Ascoli on loan in Serie A but never played, again due to injury, under Massimo Silva. The Bianconeri finished 10th. Pasquale Foggia was in the squad as was Ivano Della Morte (Lazio 1994, 1995).
In 2006-07 Bonetto spent a year with Lazio. The manager was Delio Rossi and the Biancocelesti finished 3rd and qualified for the Champions League. Bonetto played 9 league games. The highlight was defeating Roma 3-0.
In 2007 he joined Bologna on loan. The Rossoblu finished 2nd in Serie B and won promotion under Daniele Arrigoni. It was one of Bonetto's most regular seasons and he played 33 league games. One of his teammates was Davide Di Gennaro (Lazio 2017-18, 2020-21).
In 2008 he went to Livorno for a season on loan. The Amaranto were in Serie B and finished 3rd winning promotion. The manager was Leonardo Acori and Bonetto played 38 league games. His teammates included Lazio connections Alessandro Grandoni (1995-98), Emanuele Filippini (2004-05), Antonio Filippini (2004-05) and Antonio Candreva (2012-16).
In 2009 Bonetto returned to Lazio for two seasons. The Biancocelesti finished 12th and 5th (EL) and won the Italian Supercoppa (Inter 2-1 in 2009). Bonetto however made no appearances, first under Davide Ballardini and then Edy Reja.
Bonetto then signed for Bassano Virtus (Bassano del Grappa) in 2011. The Giallorossi were in Lega Pro Prima Divisione (3rd tier). They were relegated and Bonetto played 22 league games.
In 2012 he joined Fersina Perginese (Trento) in Serie D but they mutually ended the contract in November.
His last club was Istrana (5th tier) where he started coaching the youth sides too. He retired from playing in 2016 at 37 but stayed on at the club in coaching roles.
Bonetto was a left full-back. He had a decent career, his best seasons were with Empoli, Bologna and Livorno. He won promotions to Serie A, two with Empoli, then Livorno and Bologna.
At Lazio his only season with appearances was 2006-07 but he was also part of the squad that won the Italian Supercoppa in Beijing in 2009 defeating José Mourinho's "Triplete" winning Inter.
Lazio Career
Season | Total Appearances Serie A |
2006-07 | 9 |
Sources
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