Lazio stage comeback in last fifteen minutes to conquer the Ferraris

Season 1994-95

Game 7, Serie A

Sunday, October 23, 1994

Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa

Genoa Lazio 1-2

Negro and Signori give Lazio deserved win

In Serie A Lazio had so far played six games with 3 wins (Bari 1-0 away on debut, Torino 3-0 and Napoli 5-1 both at home), 2 draws (Parma 2-2 at home and Fiorentina 1-1 away with a 94th minute Cristiano Bergodi equaliser) and lost 1 (Milan 1-2 away with 90th minute Ruud Gullit winner). Lazio had 11 points and were in joint 3rd place with Juventus and Foggia.

The pundits predicted a balanced game today. Genoa away was traditionally a difficult fixture for Lazio and the Rossoblu came from two consecutive wins.

The match

A grey, rainy day in the port city of Genova brought about 30,000 spectators to the old quarter of Marassi.

Genoa were without defender Nicola Caricola and Japanese forward Kazuyoshi Miura while Lazio had more or less the whole squad to choose from apart from the long term injured Paul Gascoigne.

Genoa played with a 4-5-1 which was to suffocate Lazio's midfield with only Tomáš Skuhravý up front. Zeman chose Gigi Casiraghi over Roberto Rambaudi in his usual 4-3-3.

The game was played at a good pace but in the first half there were not an abundance of chances. Most of Lazio’s initiatives were thanks to Alen Boksic who was by far the liveliest of the forward line.

Diego Fuser had a shot saved by 37-year-old Stefano Tacconi, Boksic hit a post and Beppe Signori had a freekick that shaved the crossbar. Genoa were all running, grit and aggressive defending in their half. The Rossoblu did however have a penalty appeal when José Antonio Chamot pushed Skuhravý but Braschi was not convinced. Halftime Genoa 0 Lazio 0.

Lazio as often happened away from home were finding it difficult to find the spaces needed to play their game.

For the second half the hosts replaced an injured defender Gianluca Signorini with midfielder John Van't Schip and Mario Bortolazzi was placed as "libero".

In the first twenty minutes of the second half, maybe due to Genoa's new tactical layout or because Genoa simply could not sustain the first half rhythm, it seemed Lazio could score any minute.

Then the unexpected happened. In the 66th minute Luca Marchegiani came out of his area and tried to tackle Skuhravý but missed him and then Bergodi was forced to pull down Gennaro Ruotolo before he could shoot at the empty goal. A right defensive mess up and Dario Marcolin hit a good spot kick to give Genoa the lead. Genoa 1 Lazio 0.

Not really deserved but this was exactly Genoa's game plan.

Lazio took a few minutes to get over the setback but then started pushing forward again. In the 74th minute the attack took on a more logical form when Rambaudi came on for a disappointing Casiraghi.

Boksic then incredibly hit the woodwork twice with one strike when his shot first hit the crossbar and then the post.

In the 78th minute came Lazio’s deserved equaliser. Rambaudi blasted a low cross in from the right, something more like a shot, which Paolo Negro got a foot too and directed it past Tacconi. Genoa 1 Lazio 1.

The game now finally opened up. Genoa had tasted victory and wanted it back while the three points had been Lazio’s aim all along.

Both sides had chances, Genoa with Ruotolo and Van't Schip but Marchegiani was safe and Lazio with Signori and Boksic where Tacconi was superb.

The winner came in the 88th minute. An intelligent Beppe Favalli low ball, from just over the half way line on the left, cut through the defence and found Signori cutting horizontally into the area from the left, he pushed the ball past Tacconi with his left foot and with his right slotted it past an outstretched defender and into the net. All at lightning speed and Genoa 1 Lazio 2.

Genoa were beaten, they threw on another forward Marco Nappi for defender Daniele Delli Carri but it was too late. Their game plan had ultimately failed. Full time Genoa 1 Lazio 2.

Genoa had managed to limit Lazio for 70 minutes but then Lazio's superior level had given them a deserved win.

Lazio were now on 14 points and still joint 3rd but now only with Juventus. Genoa were now joint 12th with Napoli and only two points from the drop zone.

Who played for Genoa

Tacconi, Torrente, Delli Carri (89' Nappi), Manicone, Galante, Signorini (46' Van't Schip), Ruotolo, Bortolazzi, Onorati, Skuhravy, Marcolin

Substitutes: Micillo, Francini, Padovano

Manager: Scoglio

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Negro, Favalli, Di Matteo, Bergodi, Chamot, Casiraghi (74' Rambaudi), Fuser, Boksic, Winter, Signori