Four in a row on the road

Season 2002-03

Game 8, Serie A

Sunday, November 3, 2002

Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli

Empoli Lazio 1-2

Lazio win again away from home to consolidate fourth place

The season had started reasonably well for Lazio. They had played 7 games, won 4 (3 away), drawn 2 (including recent derby 2-2) and lost 1 (bête noire Chievo 2-3 at home). Lazio had 14 points and were in a healthy joint 4th place.

So far, Empoli had won 3 (including their most recent game, 2-1 away at Piacenza), drawn 1 and lost 3. They were currently joint 6th with Roma on 10 points.

The match

There were just under 10,000 spectators at the Castellani, generally considered one of the worst stadiums at top level.

Empoli did not have defender Andrea Cupi or midfielder Antonio Buscè available.

Lazio were without Dutch defender Jaap Stam plus midfielders Giuliano Giannichedda and derby hero Lucas Castromán.

Empoli played better in the first half. Flavio Giampieretti managed to limit Fabio Liverani and therefore Lazio's main game organiser and Empoli were quick and dangerous up front with the Rocchi-Di Natale-Vannucchi trio.

In the 7th minute Totò Di Natale fired over the bar from the left side of the area.

In the 12th minute Angelo Peruzzi had to rush off his line to block Ighli Vannucchi. A few minutes later Luca Saudati crossed from the left but Tommaso Rocchi couldn't direct his header properly.

In the 20th minute Lazio had their first chance but Dejan Stankovic, set up by Enrico Chiesa, blasted his shot wide from a good position.

Just after the half hour a Rocchi put Saudati in front of the Lazio keeper who again denied the hosts by bursting out of the area but in the impact both he and the forward came out worse for wear. The more serious injury was to the Lombard striker who fractured his leg but the "Cinghialone" from Blera was also forced off with a knee injury. Francesco Tavano came on for the Azzurri and Emmanuele Concetti for the Biancocelesti.

In the 45th minute, slightly against the run of play, Lazio scored. Sinisa Mihajlovic took a freekick which came back off Emílson Cribari and spun up in the crowded area where Bernardo Corradi was the quickest to react and drilled it past Gianluca Berti with his left foot, 0-1.

Any sense of injustice for the locals was quelled only a minute later as they equalised. Di Natale took a corner and on the front post it was cleverly backheeled backwards by Tommaso Rocchi to Gianluca Atzori who headed past Concetti, 1-1.

In the second half Empoli were dangerous immediately as Tavano skipped past Mihajlovic but his attempted curler was well wide.

Lazio responded with an excellent header by Chiesa from a Stankovic cross but Berti was reactive and flew to his left and parried into corner.

After seven minutes of the second half Mancini decided to be more daring and replaced midfielder Liverani with speedy forward Claudio López. Dejan Stankovic moved more centrally.

In the 65th minute Lazio took off forward Enrico Chiesa and brought on midfielder Stefano Fiore. The Argentine Lopez played as striker while the Calabrese in the number 9 shirt was placed on the right.

Lazio were now more dominant. Claudio López had a threatening low scissor kick saved by Berti.

The Empoli coach sensed the danger and made two changes: in the 70th minute Alessandro Agostini for Stefano Lucchini an in the 76th Massimiliano Cappellini for Vannucchi.

Five minutes later however the Roman Eagles scored with a great team move. Corradi to López who put a cutting ball behind the defence to Fiore on the right, the Italy midfielder squared across goal to Stankovic for whom it was child's play to tap the ball in from close range, 1-2. A team effort and Lazio in front.

Empoli tried to salvage a draw in the last ten minutes but their only real chance came in the 91st minute when Tavano was free inside the area on the right but his low cross goal strike was well saved by Concetti. The Tuscans then appealed for a Fiore handball in the area but the referee said there was nothing in it. Final score Empoli 1 Lazio 2.

A good win for Lazio. They had suffered Empoli's speed and vivacity in the first half but had improved in the second and ultimately made their superior quality count. Mancini redesigning the tactical set up had also helped.

Empoli had held their own but more worrying than the defeat was the injury to their striker Saudati who would be out for the rest of the season.

Lazio were still 4th on 17 points but now had a two-point lead on 5th placed Chievo.

Empoli were now 11th on 10 points, four above the relegation zone (Torino on 6 points).

Who played for Empoli

Berti, Belleri, Cribari, Atzori, Lucchini (70' Agostini), Grella, Giampieretti, Rocchi, Vannucchi (76' Cappellini), Di Natale, Saudati (33' Tavano)

Substitutes: Cassano, Pratali, Ficini, Bosco

Manager: Baldini

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi (33' Concetti), Pancaro, Negro, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Stankovic, Simeone, Liverani (52' López), César, Corradi, Chiesa (65' Fiore)

Substitutes: Couto, Oddo, Sorin, S.Inzaghi

Manager: Mancini

Referee: Cassarà

Goals: 45' Corradi, 46' Atzori, 81' Stankovic

Sources

Lazio Wiki