February 14, 2013: Borussia Mönchengladbach Lazio 3-3, Europa League
- Simon Basten
- 7 hours ago
- 7 min read
Kozák’s Last-Gasp Header Saves Lazio in Europa League Thriller
Lazio remain unbeaten in Europe after a dramatic 3–3 draw away to Borussia Mönchengladbach, surviving three penalties and a red card before Libor Kozák struck deep into stoppage time.
The season so far
Edy Reja had left after the end of the previous season and Lazio had given the keys to the squad to Vladimir Petkovic, a Swiss National of Bosnian origin, who had had a successful managerial career in Switzerland. Lazio had added Ederson and Michael Ciani in the summer plus Bruno Pereirinha in the winter transfer session.
Lazio started the season very well and by the end of the first half were second. The Champions League looked possible. But since the January 13 win against Atalanta they had lost two and drawn two and were now third.
But things had continued to go right both in Europa League and in Coppa Italia. In the former, after beating Mura 05 in the playoff in August, Lazio topped their group (Tottenham, Panathinaikos and Maribor the opponents) and today had to face Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Round of 32.
In the fourth round of the domestic cup Lazio had beaten Siena in the penalty shootout after Ciani saved the campaign with a last second equaliser and Juan Pablo Carrizo stopped two penalties. Things went smoother in the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Catania.
In the semi-finals Lazio had to face Juventus. In the first leg in Turin Lazio managed to draw 1-1 thanks to a number of miracles from goalkeeper Federico Marchetti and another last gasp goal from Stefano Mauri. In the return match, Lazio scored with Alvaro Gonzalez in the beginning of the second half and it looked as if the Biancocelesti had secured the final. But a Stefan Radu mistake in the second minute of injury time gave Juventus the equaliser. Extra time was on the cards but a Sergio Floccari header with one minute to go gave Lazio the ticket for the final. A ticket which was about to be thrown away as Juventus had an open goal chance in the 95th minute but Claudio Marchisio kicked the ball wide.
The final would be against Roma who had eliminated Inter in the other semi-final. This was going to be the first derby in a final. Whoever won would have their names in the history books.
The match: Thursday, February 14, 2013, Borussia Park, Mönchengladbach
The first shot of the match came from the hosts, a left-footed effort by Juan Arango that flew over the bar. Lazio responded with a long-range attempt from Antonio Candreva and a clever effort by Cristian Ledesma, who nearly caught out Marc-André ter Stegen, uncertain with his clearance.
In the 16th minute, Borussia struck with a sudden burst. Arango fed Patrick Herrmann, who was brought down in the box by André Dias: the referee awarded a penalty, and captain Martin Stranzl made no mistake from the spot, smashing it home.
The setback spurred Lazio on, and they began to impose their game. Candreva tried his luck again from a free kick, and after a header just wide by Dutch striker Luuk de Jong, Hernanes and especially Sergio Floccari went close, with the home goalkeeper producing a fine save to tip the striker’s header out for a corner. Borussia, however, remained dangerous. A free kick from Arango crashed against the post with Federico Marchetti rooted to the spot, and Patrick Herrmann then fired the rebound straight at the Lazio keeper. Lazio replied with a Hernanes shot deflected by Norwegian (former Arsenal player) Håvard Nordtveit just wide, and a close-range effort from Ștefan Radu.
At the break, Vladimir Petković changed approach and added physical presence up front: Libor Kozák came on, with Ledesma sacrificed. From an Arango free kick, Spanish defender Álvaro Domínguez went close with a header to doubling Borussia’s lead, but in the 58th minute Lazio found the equaliser. Candreva delivered a perfectly weighted cross from the right, and Floccari, arriving centrally, finished with an outside-of-the-foot volley to make it 1–1.
The momentum swung entirely in Lazio’s favour, and four minutes later they completed the comeback. This time the move developed down the left; from Senad Lulić’s cross, Kozák arrived to volley past ter Stegen once again.
Candreva went close to a third, and Petković’s side looked in control. But in the 70th minute Borussia were awarded another penalty, again for a hold by Dias on Stranzl: the Brazilian defender was sent off, but this time Marchetti saved the captain’s spot kick. Down to ten men, Lazio suffered. Stranzl hit the post from a scramble following a throw-in, and Herrmann once again failed to convert the rebound. Petković took action, bringing on Lorik Cana for Candreva; Lucien Favre responded with a triple substitution in the space of three minutes, as Thorben Marx, Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, and Mike Hanke replaced Nordtveit, Tolga Ciğerci, and Tony Jantschke.
After another chance for Floccari, Borussia equalised six minutes from time. Cana held Luuk De Jong in the area and the referee awarded the Germans their third penalty of the night, which Marchetti could not save, as Thorben Marx converted. It wasn’t over yet: four minutes later, a long-range free kick from Arango caught the Lazio goalkeeper out and restored Borussia’s lead. It seemed all over, but in stoppage time came Kozák’s decisive moment, heading home Hernanes’ looping cross.
The match ended 3–3, and in a week’s time at the Stadio Olimpico, Lazio would have the chance to finish the job.
Who played for Borussia Mönchengladbach
Ter Stegen, Stranzl, Brouwers, Dominguez, Wendt, Jantschke (75' Hanke), Nordtveit (73' Marx), Herrmann, Cigerci (75' Xhaka), Arango, De Jong.
Substitutes: Heimeroth, Daems, Younes, Rupp
Manager: Favre
Who played for Lazio
Marchetti, Konko, Biava, Dias, Radu, Candreva (72' Cana), A. Gonzalez, Ledesma (46' Kozak), Hernanes, Lulic (87' Ciani), Floccari
Substitutes: Bizzarri, Pereirinha, Rozzi, Ederson
Manager: Petkovic
Referee: Karasev
Goals: 17' Stranzl (pen), 57' Floccari, 64' Kozak, 84' Marx (pen), 88' Arango, 94' Kozak.
What happened next
In campionato Lazio finished seventh and missed out on a Europa League qualification. In EL they won the return leg 2-0 and then eliminated Stuttgart in the Round of 16 but were eliminated by Fenerbahçe in the quarter finals. The Biancocelesti lost in Turkey following a horrendous refereeing display and were not able to overcome the deficit in the return match.
It all came down to the Coppa Italia final.
Lazio won the Cup thanks to a goal from Senad Lulic in the now famous 71st minute. Among the most important wins in the club's history, it gave the players eternal glory, Lulic is now worshipped like a Saint, and Lazio qualified for next season’s Europa League. One of the best seasons ever.
Let’s talk about Sergio Floccari
Sergio Floccari was a big, strong, but modern centre forward. Skillful with his feet, good header, not a goal scorer like Ciro Immobile, but good for the team.
Born in Vibo Valentia on November 12 1981, he started his football career in Nicotera before his formative youth training for Catanzaro. After not much luck playing for Avezzano, Montebelluna and Mestre, he started to show promise in 2001-02 with Faenza in Serie C2. Genoa noticed him and he moved to Liguria to play in Serie B. However, in January 2003 he was sold to Rimini, again in Serie C2. The seaside team in three years climbed to Serie B and Floccari made a good contribution of goals.
In January 2006 he made his debut in Serie A with Messina against Lazio. He would stay in Sicily for a year and a half before being signed by Atalanta. After two years he was back at Genoa but for the second time his spell in Liguria only lasted six months.
In January 2010 he started his adventure with Lazio. He scored two goals in his first match for the Biancocelesti, 8 goals in total in his first half season with Lazio. He however missed a decisive penalty in the derby, something which is not done!
In 2010-2011 he was Edy Reja’s centre forward and played 30 games. The next year he was sent out on loan to Parma. He returned to Lazio in 2012-2013 and was back-up for Miroslav Klose, so he did not play so regularly, but he was often used in Europa League where he scored 4 goals.
A winning header in injury time in the Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus, sent Lazio to the final which would see the Biancocelesti triumph against Roma.
He continued to play for Lazio until January 2014 when he was sold to Sassuolo. In Emilia-Romagna he played more for the team and started scoring less. He stayed there for two half-seasons and a full one before being sold to Bologna in January 2016. A year later he moved to Spal in Serie B and helped them to a historic promotion to Serie A. He played in Ferrara until the end of the 2020-2021 season when he quit football.
Sergio Floccari today does punditry for DAZN and is technical coordinator for the Monza Academy.
He played 106 games for Lazio (83 in Serie A, 6 in Coppa Italia, 16 in Europa League and one in the Supercoppa) and scored 31 goals (21 in Serie A, 2 in Coppa Italia and 8 in Europa League).
He will be forever remembered for the wonderful header against Juventus and for being part of the team that won the 2012-13 Coppa Italia against Roma.
Lazio Career
Season | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League | Super Coppa |
Jan-Jun 2010 | 18 (9) | 17 (8) | 1 (1) | - | - |
2010-2011 | 31 (8) | 30 (8) | 1 | - | - |
2012-2013 | 36 (10) | 22 (5) | 4 (1) | 10 (4) | - |
2013-Jan 2014 | 21 (4) | 14 | 0 | 6 (4) | 1 |
Total | 106 (31) | 83 (21) | 6 (2) | 16 (8) | 1 |
Sources
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