Poor performance but decent point

Season 2005-2006

Game 2, Serie A

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari

Cagliari Lazio 1-1

A disappointing game by both sides ends up with a point apiece as Siviglia cancels out Suazo's lightning strike

In the first league game of the season, on August 28, Lazio had defeated Messina thanks to a Goran Pandev goal in the first half. An underwhelming performance but a winning start at least.

The atmosphere surrounding the club however was heavy with the fan base unsatisfied with the owner Claudio Lotito's lack of ambition and investment in the transfer market.

Cagliari had lost their season debut 1-2 at Siena and manager Attilio Tesser had been sacked. Last' years manager Daniele Arrigoni took his place.

The match

A hot evening on the island attracted a 10,000 crowd, the majority displeased with owner Massimo Cellino's recent decisions and vocal in their opinions.

The home side opted for a more cautious approach and left Langella on the bench while Lazio chose Paolo Di Canio as Tommaso Rocchi's attacking partner rather than Pandev.

The game got off to a flying start. Still inside the first minute Andrea Capone went through the middle and fed David Suazo, loosely marked in the area, the Honduran turned and his low left foot beat Angelo Peruzzi. Thirty-five seconds gone and Cagliari 1 Lazio 0. A dream start for the Rossoblu and disastrous for Lazio.

Lazio reacted well and attacked constantly putting the Sardinian defence in difficulty with several scrambles in the area. In the 13th minute one of these confused actions was resolved by Sebastiano Siviglia when, after a defensive clearance, he headed the ball low into the right-hand corner from just inside the area, an unusual goal, but Cagliari 1 Lazio 1.

The game then slowed down and the chances were few and far between. The Cagliari defence almost gifted Lazio a goal with a poor back pass but Michele Canini just anticipated Rocchi. The home side then had a couple of chances, first in the 23rd minute Conti had a shot saved by Peruzzi and then in the 29th they wasted a massive opportunity with Massimo Gobbi who, completely unmarked in front of Peruzzi, had his diving header miraculously saved by the "Cinghialone " (The big Wild Boar). The last two threats came from Suazo wide and an almost own goal by Cagliari when a defender sliced a cross just over the bar. Halftime Cagliari 1 Lazio 1, not a spectacular game but unfortunately the crowd had unknowingly already seen the best of the match.

At halftime Cagliari changed goalkeepers, putting Andrea Campagnolo on for an injured Uruguayan Carini while Lazio remained unchanged.

The second half was by far an epic event. There even came the suspicion someone had poured out Camomile to the players during the interval. There were however a few chances. The biggest fell to Mauro Esposito but his powerful volley whistled over the top hand corner with Peruzzi beaten.

Both coaches tried to liven things up with some substitutions, in the 58th minute Pandev came on for Di Canio and in the 61st minute Antonio Langella replaced Capone.

The entertainment however stagnated, Cagliari had a weak Langella shot and Lazio wasted a few counter attacks. A potential game changer came in the 78th minute when Lopez was sent off for hacking Pandev down from behind. More tactical changes followed a minute later, Francesco Pisano for Esposito and, for Lazio, Fabio Firmani for Roberto Baronio.

Not a lot changed. Lazio attacked more but always messed up the final pass thus never really threatened until the 85th minute, when a Pandev effort was saved well by Campagnolo.

In fact. it was then Cagliari who went closest to breaking the deadlock in the last minute when a Conti free kick was tipped over the bar by a flying 36-year-old Peruzzi. Final score Cagliari 1 Lazio 1.

A disappointing game but a fair result. Both teams had problems, not least physical and would have to step up fitness levels to be more competitive. Luckily it would not always be this hot and humid, and Lazio had the quality to have a decent season while Cagliari looked as if they may struggle.

Who played for Cagliari

Carini (46' Campagnolo), Lopez, Canini, Bega, Agostini, Abeijon, Conti, Esposito (79' Pisano), Capone (61' Langella), Gobbi, Suazo

Substitutes: Vignati, Budel, Conticchio, Ferrarese

Manager: Arrigoni

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Oddo, Siviglia, Stendardo, Zauri, Manfredini, Dabo, Baronio (79' Firmani), César, Di Canio (58' Pandev), Rocchi (83' S. Inzaghi)