Doll gives Lazio the win

Simon Basten
May 24, 2024
2 min read

Season 1991-92

Game 34, Serie A

Sunday, May 24, 1992

Stadio Sant’Elia, Cagliari

Cagliari Lazio 0-1

The day after the world was shocked by the killing of Giovanni Falcone, Lazio close the season with a win

The Biancocelesti were eleventh. After the win against Cremonese a month earlier, Lazio were in sixth place. Europe could have been a possibility since there were still four games left. However the Biancocelesti lost the next three so any chances were squandered. Today was the final game of the season in a shocked atmosphere.

On Saturday, May 23, 1992, at 17.58 a huge bomb hidden under the A29 motorway exploded near the town of Capaci, outside Palermo in Sicily, as the convoy of anti-Mafia magistrate Giovanni Falcone passed by. Falcone was traveling with his wife, magistrate Francesca Morvillo, and a police escort in three armoured cars. Nobody survived. It is one of the most important and traumatic events in modern Italian history.

The match

Lazio had already threatened in the 14th minute when Ruben Sosa forced Mario Ielpo to a difficult save after he unleashed a powerful shot from nearly 30 metres out. Cagliari then pushed forward into the opposition half and came close to taking the lead several times.

In the 28th minute, Daniel Fonseca squandered a golden opportunity from inside the six-yard box following an assist by Enzo Francescoli. Just two minutes later, the Uruguayan found himself alone in front of goal, but instead of opting for a simple finish past Valerio Fiori, he attempted an acrobatic volley that sailed over the bar.

The home side thought they had finally broken through in the 33rd minute. Set up by Fonseca, Francescoli in front of Fiori tried a lob which looked as if it was going in, only for Angelo Gregucci to clear dramatically off the line and turn the ball over the crossbar. A minute later Francescoli remained the main danger, but his header crashed against the outside of the post.

After the break, the Rossoblu increased the pressure, though they lacked creativity in midfield. In the 54th minute Cagliari again believed they had taken the lead when Gregucci headed the ball into his own net, but referee Cesari disallowed the goal for a previous offside.

The match then opened up, with both teams trading attacks. Thomas Doll twice came close for Lazio, in the 57th and 64th minutes, with powerful efforts from outside the area. The Biancocelesti eventually found the breakthrough in the 72nd minute: Doll left unmarked by the defence had no problem in beating Ielpo for Lazio’s win.

A good ending to an otherwise mediocre season.

Who played for Cagliari

Ielpo (74' Di Bitonto), N.Napoli, Festa (61' M.Villa), Herrera, Firicano, Mobili, Bisoli, Nardini, Francescoli, Matteoli, Fonseca

Substitutes: Greco, Budruni, Criniti

Manager: Mazzone

Who played for Lazio

Fiori, Bergodi, Sergio, Pin (29' Melchiori), Gregucci, Soldà, Bacci, Doll (80' Stroppa), Riedle, Sclosa, Sosa