Lazio clinch point at leaders Inter

Dag Jenkins

Oct 4, 2022

4 min read

Season 1997-98

Game 5, Serie A

Sunday, October 5, 1997

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan

Inter-Lazio 1-1

A half each but Inter equalise with a Francesco "Louganis" Moriero dive and consequent Ronaldo penalty

Lazio had debuted in Serie A on August 31 and beaten Napoli 2-0 at home (Mancini, Pancaro). They then drew 1-1 with Milan away, lost 0-1 at Empoli and recently beat Bari 3-2 at home (with two late Signori goals). Lazio were on 7 points and in joint 6th place with Atalanta and Vicenza.

Inter were currently top of the table on 12 points. The Nerazzurri had won 4 out of 4 (Brescia 2-1 and Fiorentina 3-2 at home, Bologna 4-2 and Lecce 5-1 away).

An extremely difficult game for Lazio today. They had not been playing particularly well and they played league leaders away.

The match

A hot evening in Milan saw about 65,000 spectators turn up at the Stadio Meazza formerly known as San Siro.

Lazio had no real absences apart from defender Beppe Favalli and midfielder Giorgio Venturin.

Inter were without defender Taribo West, midfielder Zé Elias and forward Ivan Zamorano.

Inter pushed forward in the early stages. In the 9th minute Youri Djorkaeff cleverly put Javier Zanetti through on goal on the left but he shot with his right instead of his left and Luca Marchegiani caught it easily.

Lazio gradually grew into the game with some neat passing and Diego Fuser tried his luck from the distance but his shot was weak and central.

The Biancocelesti were more dangerous in the 16th minute when Roberto Mancini verticalised to Pavel Nedved in the area on the right but the Czech was anticipated by a last ditch tackle by Fabio Galante out for a corner.

Lazio combined well in midfield with quick, precise passes. Beppe Signori teed up Nedved but his powerful shot was sliced and went wide. In the 23rd minute Signori then freed himself well in the area but his shot whistled over the bar.

Lazio insisted with an ambitious Nedved left-footed volley well high. In the 35th minute Lazio got the goal they deserved. Fuser and Mancini combined well and Mancio poked the ball forward to Nedved who did well to hold off Salvatore Fresi, burst into the area and beat Gianluca Pagliuca with a precise, low strike to the keepers right, 0-1.

Inter reacted by throwing themselves forward. In the 38th minute, from a free kick from the left, Galante headed towards goal where Diego Simeone was unable to get enough power on his close range flick and Marchegiani saved.

In the 40th minute Ronaldo tried to go round Marchegiani but the ball fell loose and was picked up by Francesco Moriero who dived over the keeper, trailed his leg and collapsed in the area. An impressive theatrical performance which the referee fell for. Ronaldo took the penalty and sent Marchegiani the wrong way with a near perfect spot kick, 1-1.

A pity as Lazio had been the better team.

In the second half Inter looked sharper and Ronaldo in particular caused havoc in the Lazio defence. Fortunately for Lazio the Inter midfielders did not provide him with much service.

In the 51st minute Zanetti crossed from the left to the far post where "Il fenomeno" brought it down beautifully and poked a low shot which Marchegiani managed to palm away for a corner.

Lazio occasionally threatened on the counter attack but Paolo Negro wasted an opportunity by neither shooting nor crossing, going for something in between.

Ronaldo was dangerous every time he received the ball as in the the 62nd minute when he chested the ball down and turned and volleyed in a split second but the ball went wide or in the 63rd when he brilliantly went through both Negro and Nesta but his low effort was blocked by Marchegiani.

Meanwhile in the 62nd minute Lazio took off Nedved and put on Roberto Rambaudi while in the 69th they replaced Signori with Alen Boksic.

The Croat immediately set up Rambaudi on the right in the area but his chip was only half height and Pagliuca blocked.

In the 74th minute Inter substituted "El Cholo" Simeone with forward Maurizio Ganz to increase their fire power.

The game slowed down as both teams tired. Lazio brought on Gigi Casiraghi for Mancini while Inter introduced Benoît Cauet for Djorkaeff.

Inter had one more attempt but Moriero's first time shot from the edge of the box was a commendable effort but flew over the bar. Final score: Inter 1 Lazio 1.

A fair result in the end despite the generous penalty for the hosts. Lazio had been more impressive in the first half but Inter had been more dominant in the second.

A comforting evening for Lazio who had held their own against the leaders and who knows without Moriero's Oscar performance they may even have come away with a win.

Inter were still top on 13 points (+2 on Roma, Parma and Juventus) while Lazio were on 8 and still joint 6th (with Sampdoria and Vicenza).

Next up for Lazio was a home game against Atalanta while Inter would travel to Napoli.

Who played for Inter

Pagliuca, Bergomi, Sartor, Galante, Zanetti, Moriero, Winter, Fresi, Simeone (74' Ganz), Ronaldo, Djorkaeff (86' Cauet)