Another trophy for Lazio

Season 1998-99

Super Coppa Final

Saturday, August 29, 1998

Stadio delle Alpi, Turin

Juventus- Lazio 1-2

Lazio beat reigning champions Juventus with goals by Nedved and Conceição despite controversial penalty

This was the Supercoppa Italiana final between Scudetto winners Juventus and Coppa Italia winners Lazio.

Lazio had won silverware after 24 years, triumphing against Milan 3-2 on aggregate. The Biancocelesti had lost the first leg in Milan 0-1 and had been 0-1 down in Rome too, but then scored three goals in ten minutes to win 3-1 and give some generations the new sweet taste of success.

Juventus were reigning champions and playing at home so were clear favourites.

The match

There was not a big crowd for this first trophy awarding game, less than 20,000 (including 2,000 from Rome).

Lazio were without Alessandro Nesta (out with a long-term injury), Giuseppe Pancaro (injured), Beppe Favalli (injured), Paolo Negro (suspended) and new signing Christian Vieri (also injured). Juventus were missing defenders Ciro Ferrara and Paolo Montero.

The game started at a good pace with Sergio Conceição particularly lively on the wing. It was Juventus however who threatened more. First Filippo Inzaghi was signalled offside in a dangerous position and then the "Zebras" had a penalty appeal for an energetic challenge on Alessandro Del Piero by Stefano Lombardi.

There were two more appeals in the early phases. Roberto Mancini went down on contact with Igor Tudor and then Inzaghi was overpowered by Lombardi in the air but for referee Bettin there no cause to intervene.

In the 23rd minute Edgar Davids went on a good central run, fed Del Piero on the left, "Pinturicchio" put in a perfect cross but Luca Marchegiani managed to anticipate Inzaghi.

Lazio finally threatened shortly after, when Pavel Nedved pounced on a long high pass and struck a shot which Angelo Peruzzi saved into corner. It was Nedved again a few minutes later who, teed up by Mancini, had a 20-metre shot denied by a Peruzzi foot.

Lazio were growing in confidence and looking increasingly sharp on the break. Juventus however had players of world class and in the 35th minute Zinedine Zidane wonderfully dummied Fernando Couto and hammered towards goal but Marchegiani got a hand to it and the ball hit the crossbar and went over the bar.

Lazio responded in perfect style. In the 38th minute Ivan De La Peña found Mancini in the area on the left and "Mancio" brilliantly back heeled it to the oncoming Nedved who smashed it into the corner. Juventus 0 Lazio 1.

Juventus' reaction was all in a lame Del Piero shot, despite being in a favourable position. Half time Juventus 0 Lazio 1. A good first half by Lazio who were looking slick and sharp against a more sluggish home side.

For the second half Lippi went for a more offensive approach with Daniel Fonseca (former Roma) on for Didier Deschamps and moving Alessio Tacchinardi into central midfield.

In the 53rd minute Lazio wasted a colossal chance to double their lead. Following a De La Peña lob, Mancini and Marcelo Salas found themselves unmarked at the edge of the box, Peruzzi raced off his line but Mancini neither shot nor squared it for the "Matador" thus losing the ball and the massive opportunity.

The game got increasingly heated and Tacchinardi could easily have been sent off for a filthy foul on De La Peña. In the 55th minute Nedved was forced off injured and replaced by Dejan Stankovic.

In the 58th minute Lazio were left eating their hands again. Salas to Conceição on the right followed by a perfect switch of play to Stankovic on the left in front of goal, the Serb's header looked like a winner but somehow hit Peruzzi's body (he is big and known as "Il Cinghialone"- The Big Wild Boar).

Juventus seemed on the ropes and opted for the more attacking Angelo Di Livio for Alessandro Birindelli. Things however got worse in the 68th minute when Inzaghi got his marching orders. He had just been booked for dissent when he held Giorgio Venturin back by his shirt and got a second yellow.

Lazio were apparently in control but in the 79th minute risked on another moment of Zidane inventiveness as he put Del Piero through on goal, the Italian went around Marchegiani and directed the ball towards goal but Sinisa Mihajlovic managed to get back and miraculously deflect the ball onto the post. The Serb got injured performing his heroics, was forced off, came back on but was then finally forced off in the 84th minute, replaced by midfielder Dario Marcolin.

In the 86th there came a hugely controversial moment. Del Piero went into the box but was tackled by Marcolin when shooting, the Juve striker went down and the ball spun towards Di Livio whose shot was walled by Giovanni Lopez's back. Close but that was not the end of the story as the referee, to the general bafflement, pointed to the penalty spot. Had he played advantage and gone back for the infringement on Del Piero? If so it was a double mistake as firstly it was no way a penalty and secondly once he had given Di Livio the chance to score he could not go back on his decision.

The fact was he awarded a penalty which Del Piero duly slotted in. Juventus 1 Lazio 1 with only a few minutes to go.

Lazio were fuming but there were more surprises in store. When extra-time seemed inevitable, Lazio scored again. In the 93rd minute a rugby style passing move from left to right involving Salas, De La Peña and Mancini opened up a gap for Conceição whose cracking shot beat Peruzzi. Full time Juventus 1 Lazio 2. The Biancocelesti's second silverware in four months, after only winning two in 74 years.

A well-deserved win for the Roman Eagles who had been the better team while Juventus had only had a few moments of individual brilliance. For some reason the "Old Lady" deserted the prize ceremony, not that Lazio were too bothered, but it was unsportsmanlike (or unsportsladylike ...whatever it was, it showed they were sore losers).

It was only the second time the cup had not been won by the Scudetto winning team but it was a sign of the times. The trophy lifted to the Turin skies by Marchegiani was to be followed by several more over the next few years for Lazio.

Who played for Juventus

Peruzzi, Birindelli (60' Di Livio), Tudor, Iuliano, Pessotto, Tacchinardi, Deschamps (46' Fonseca), Davids (77' Dimas), Zidane, F. Inzaghi, Del Piero

Substitutes: Rampulla, Pecchia, Blanchard, A. Conte

Manager: Lippi

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, F. Couto (77' Gottardi), G. Lopez, Mihajlovic (84' Marcolin), Lombardi, Conceição, Venturin, De La Peña, Nedved (55' Stankovic), Salas, Mancini