Almost Champions League

Simon Basten
May 10, 2024
2 min read

Season 2002-03

Game 32, Serie A

Saturday, May 10, 2003

Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna

Bologna Lazio 0-2

Lazio win at Bologna and Champions League qualification is just around the corner

Lazio struggled at home, but this was compensated by a good number of away wins. The season looked promising. At one point, Lazio were top of the table after recovering from a 0-2 deficit and winning 3-2 at Piacenza. But in the next match against Inter they only managed to draw 3-3 after being 3-0 up after the first half. Not to worry, Roberto Mancini’s boys then managed to win in Turin against Juventus. At the end of the first part of the season Lazio were joint second with Inter and just three points behind Juve.

But in the next 5 games the Biancocelesti had only managed four draws and any hopes of battling for the scudetto had faded. But there was a Champions League qualification to go for and the Biancocelesti, with three games to the end of the season, were 4th with a three-point lead over Chievo Verona, fifth.

A win today would be extremely important.

The match

Mancini had to change the line-up immediately since Sinisa Mihajlovic got injured during the warm-up. He also decided he wanted speed rather than power, so Bernardo Corradi found space on the bench.

Bologna tried to control the game offensively, so Lazio responded by controlling it defensively. However, the Rossoblu lacked motivation and a centre forward since Julio Cruz was out injured, and Beppe Signori was their only forward. All the hosts could muster was a Signori shot from 20 meters that Angelo Peruzzi parried into corner. The Biancocelesti had the speed and the power to do better offensively but always made a mistake on the last pass. This until the 45th minute when Michele Paramatti decided to show all his affection for Simone Inzaghi hugging him in the box. Penalty for the Biancocelesti that Inzaghi had no difficulty in scoring.

Bologna in the second half had a chance with the former Lazio idol. Free kick, big Signori whack, but the ball hit the edge of the post. The Biancocelesti made it two in the 59th minute. Claudio López on the counterattack, Bologna all in the Lazio box and it was a three against one since Cesar and Beppe Favalli followed the Argentinian. Lopez arrived in the penalty area, ball into the middle for Favalli, 2-0.

There was still a half hour to play but the game ended here. Dejan Stankovic had a chance later in the match, but his lob was deflected.

Great win for Lazio, Champions League qualification was within touching distance.

Who played for Bologna

Pagliuca, Zaccardo, Paramatti, Castellini, Vanoli, Nervo (59' Frara), Olive, Amoroso, Bellucci (76' Meghni), Signori, Locatelli (63' Della Rocca)

Substitutes: Coppola, Terzi, Smit, L. Colucci

Manager: Guidolin

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Oddo, Couto, Stam, Favalli, Castroman (87’ Giannichedda), Liverani, Stankovic, Cesar (73’ Simeone), S. Inzaghi (63’ Corradi), C. Lopez