Lazio replicate home win

Dag Jenkins
May 7, 2024
4 min read

Season 2005-06

Game 37, Serie A

Sunday, May 7, 2006

Stadio Del Duca, Ascoli

Ascoli-Lazio 1-4

Another 4-1 victory over the Woodpeckers solidifies 6th place

Lazio's season had started in July in the Intertoto Cup (to get into the UEFA Cup). The Biancocelesti had beaten Tampere United 4-1 on aggregate but then been eliminated by Olympique Marseille 1-4 on aggregate.

In Serie A Lazio however were doing surprisingly well. The Biancocelesti were in 6th position on 56 points and occupied a UEFA Cup slot (three above Chievo). Lazio had won 14 (including Ascoli 4-1), drawn 14 (including derby 1-1) and lost 8 (including second derby 0-2).

Ascoli were currently joint 13th in Serie A, on 40 points with Udinese and Sampdoria. They were already safe, their real objective. The Picchio (Woodpecker) had won 8 (including Roma 3-2 at home), drawn 16 (including Milan 1-1 at home) and lost 12 (including Lazio 1-4).

Lazio and Ascoli had both already reached their season's objectives, Europe for the Biancocelesti and survival for the Bianconeri. Lazio were obviously the more talented team however it was Ascoli's last home game, and they would like to win for the fans.

The match

A hot and sunny day in the attractive town of Ascoli Piceno gathered about 15,000 spectators, at least 3,000 from Rome. It is only 184 kilometres from Rome, straight up the Via Salaria.

Lazio were without keeper Angelo Peruzzi, defender Sebastiano Siviglia and midfielders Gaby Mudingayi and Ousmane Dabo.

Ascoli had midfielders Andrea Parola and Pasquale Foggia unavailable. The Bianconeri curiously had three former Lazio youth players in their line-up: Francesco Carbone, Maurizio Domizzi, Domenico Cristiano and one on the bench, Alessandro Boccolini.

Lazio immediately looked more interested and after seven minutes were already in front. On a Massimo Oddo freekick, Guglielmo Stendardo scored with a diving header. It was the defender's first ever goal in Serie A and he ran the whole length of the pitch to celebrate with the Lazio fans. Ascoli 0 Lazio 1.

In the 11th minute the Biancocelesti were awarded a penalty for a Cristiano Del Grosso handball. Oddo coolly placed it low to Ferdinando Coppola's right. Ascoli 0 Lazio 2.

In the 20th minute Goran Pandev made it three. The Macedonian set up by Oddo went round the keeper and slotted it in, a great goal. Ascoli 0 Lazio 3.

In the 26th minute the hosts were awarded a penalty too for a foul by Stendardo on Fabio Quagliarella. Marco Ferrante stepped up, but 42-year-old Marco Ballotta saved his low and central shot.

Ferrante then redeemed himself four minutes later with a superb shot which went in near the right post. Ascoli 1 Lazio 3. Halftime came with Lazio well in control.

For the second half the hosts took off Carbone and put on Massimo Paci. Lazio waited until the 52nd minute to replace Pandev with Paolo Di Canio while Ascoli then changed Roberto Guana for Alessandro Moro in the 55th.

The game was definitely closed two minutes later when Lazio scored again. In the 57th minute Oddo put in a low cross from the right to the front post where Tommaso Rocchi pounced, stretched and hooked the ball in. Ascoli 1 Lazio 4.

Ascoli put on another forward in the 69th minute, Saša Bjelanovic for midfielder Alfredo Carriello while a few minutes earlier, in the 64th, Lazio had changed defender Emilson Cribari for Felice Piccolo.

Ascoli tried to give their fans something to shout about before the summer break, but Ballotta saved on Ferrante and Domizzi headers.

The scoreline and the heat then made the game lose intensity. Lazio made one more substitution, in the 82nd minute Andrea Giallombardo came on for Oddo. Final score: Ascoli 1 Lazio 4.

A good away win for Lazio with exactly the same score as they had beaten the Marchigiani in Rome in January. Standout players were Ballotta, Oddo and Pandev. In the end the incentives for Lazio to maintain their 6th place plus their superior quality had proved too much for an already satisfied Ascoli. In fact, both sets of fans celebrated at the end.

Lazio consolidated their 6th place while Ascoli partied with their fans looking forward to another season in the big time.

Who played for Ascoli

Coppola, Carbone (46' Paci), Cudini, Domizzi, Del Grosso, Cariello (69' Bjelanovic), Guana (55' Moro), Cristiano, Fini, Ferrante, Quagliarella

Substitutes: Boccolini, Giampà, Budan, Lauro

Manager: Silva

Who played for Lazio

Ballotta, Oddo (82' Giallombardo), Stendardo, Cribari (64' Piccolo), Belleri, Behrami, Liverani, Zauri, Mauri, Pandev (52' Di Canio), Rocchi