Finally goals and an away win

Dag Jenkins
Nov 27, 2023
4 min read

Season 2005-06

Game 13, Serie A

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Stadio Castellani, Empoli

Empoli Lazio 2-3

Lazio go in front then fall behind but ultimately find a way to get the away victory

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.

Since then Lazio had won 3, drawn 4 (including derby 1-1) and lost 4. The Biancocelesti were 12th on 16 points. They had however not scored a single goal in the last three matches (two defeats and a draw).

Empoli had so far won 5 (including Roma 1-0 at home), drawn 2 and lost 5 (including first three and then most recent game). The Azzurri were currently 10th on 17 points, with Palermo and Udinese.

A difficult game to predict today. Both sides came from defeats and were separated by only one point in the table. Lazio had also not won away from home for eight months.

The match

Torrential rain and a muddy pitch welcomed Lazio to the small Tuscan town. There were only about 7,000 spectators and 2,000 of those had come from Rome.

Lazio only had midfielder Gaby Mudingayi missing while Empoli had no absences.

The first half hour was balanced even if Lazio had more chances. The Biancocelesti immediately had a goal scoring opportunity but in the 3rd minute Paolo Di Canio hesitated and lost the moment from a favourable position. Sebastiano Siviglia then had a header go just over the bar.

In the 16th minute Empoli had their big chance but Christian Riganó slipped in front of Angelo Peruzzi.

Then it was Lazio again but Di Canio could not get enough power on his shot and Berti saved with his feet.

Lazio took the lead just before the half hour mark. In the 28th minute Ousmane Dabo took a freekick which, helped by a Ciccio Tavano deflection in the wall, beat Gianluca Berti, 0-1.

Lazio then concentrated on maintaining the lead and prioritised possession over going for another goal. The hosts were dangerous after Peruzzi had dropped the slippery ball on a high cross but their subsequent two shots were walled by defenders.

Halftime came with Lazio one-nil up, by no means dominant but controlling the game with good ball circulation.

For the second half the hosts put on striker Nicola Pozzi and took off defender Andrea Raggi. They now played with an offensive 4-2-1-3.

The new set up and Lazio's passive approach gave the Azzurri belief and they were rewarded.

In the 55th minute Riccardo Bonetto equalised with a wonderful left-footed long-range effort into the top corner, 1-1.

Only three minutes later the Tuscans were in front. On a Bonetto cross Emílson Cribari handballed and Tavano perfectly put away the spot kick to give the hosts the lead, 2-1.

Empoli then made the mistake of not closing the game. They had several counterattacks but Tavano and Riganó mistakes plus Peruzzi kept Lazio in it with saves on both Tavano and Antonio Buscè.

Delio Rossi gradually changed Lazio's whole front line; in the 63rd minute Goran Pandev replaced Christian Manfredini, in the 67th Igli Tare came on for Di Canio and in the 76th César took Tommaso Rocchi's place.

The reshuffle paid off in the 77th minute when Tare equalised with a header from a Massimo Oddo cross from the right, 2-2. A decent header but Berti could have done better.

At this point Empoli took Tavano off and brought on defender Davide Moro. The hosts were denied the lead by Peruzzi as he brilliantly dived low to his right to keep out an Ighli Vannucchi powerful drive.

Lazio however now had confidence and desire on their side and went for a winner. They got it in the 80th minute with the best player on the field, Fabio Liverani. The Roman midfielder, with a Somalian mother who he had recently lost, took a freekick which again found a slight deflection and found the top left-hand corner, 2-3.

Ficini then complicated things further for the Empolesi by getting himself sent off for a second booking.

The hosts tried a comeback replacing Bonetto with forward Matteo Serafini in the 85th minute but Lazio returned to their effective ball possession and saw out the game. They could even have made it four but Tare's trickling shot after going around the keeper hit the post. Final score Empoli 2 Lazio 3.

Lazio had been clinical, played as a team and had a bit of luck on their side with two deflections on the goals. Along with Peruzzi, Liverani had been the standout player, on his return only 21 days after a meniscus operation. Lazio were now 10th, on 19 points with Roma.

Empoli had not taken advantage of the 15-20 minutes in the second half when the game was there for the taking and were punished. Empoli were now 12th, on 17 points

Who played for Empoli

Berti, Raggi (46' Pozzi), Coda, Pratali, Bonetto (85' Serafini), Buscè, Ficini, Almirón, Vannucchi, Tavano (78' Moro), Riganò

Substitutes: Balli, Lucchini, Gasparetto, Lodi

Manager: Somma

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Oddo, Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri, Behrami, Dabo, Liverani, Manfredini (63' Pandev), Di Canio (67' Tare), Rocchi (76' César)