Eagles outclass Falconry experts
Pre Season Friendly
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Stadio Campi I Prati, Fiuggi
Lazio - Al Shabab 4-1
A Di Canio brace and goals by Oddo and Keller give Lazio comfortable win against Emirates guests
Lazio had started the season in July in the Intertoto Cup. They had got through the quarter finals eliminating Tampere United from Finland, 3-0 at home and 1-1 away but then lost to Olympique Marseille 1-4 on aggregate in the semifinals.
Lazio had played 12 summer friendlies; Gherdeina 14-0, San Martino 9-1, Havana Club 17-0, Merano 10-0, Rappresentativa Chatillon 23-0, Mappanese 11-0, Chatillon 7-0, Panionios 4-0, Fiuggi 11-0, Alatri 5-0, Cassino 1-0 and Latina 0-0.
Al Shabab were a club from the Arab Emirates. They were founded in 1970 and had won 3 league titles (1975, 1976 and 1980). The Red Knights had also won 6 Arab Emirates President's Cups (1975, 1977, 1988, 1996, 2002 and 2004). In 2017, the club merged with Dubai CSC to join Al Ahli Dubai, which was rebranded as Shabab Al Ahli Club.
The game had also been organised to try and strike up some sponsorship deals with the Arabs.
The match
The game was played in Fiuggi, a small thermal town 87 kilometres from Rome.
In protest, the Lazio fans came into the ground when the game was already being played. The owner Claudio Lotito was targeted with chants and banners and "invited" to be more ambitious on the transfer market.
Lazio were missing defender Sebastiano Siviglia, midfielders Fabio Liverani, Christian Manfredini and new signing Gaby Mudingayi plus forward Goran Pandev.
The difference in quality between the two sides was obvious from the opening minutes.
Lazio scored three first half goals and missed a penalty with Paolo Di Canio. The goals were scored by Massimo Oddo in the 12th, Christian Keller in the 37th and Di Canio in the 45th.
The only bad news was Guglielmo Stendardo being forced off injured after 25 minutes and replaced by Simone Sannibale.
In the second half Lazio relaxed and the Emiratis pulled a goal back with Walid Abbas in the 59th minute.
Lazio then gradually made five substitutions while the Red Knights surprisingly only made one.
With only a minute left on the clock Lazio were awarded another penalty and this time Di Canio made no mistake, 4-1 and the final score.
A good training session for Lazio albeit against inferior quality opposition. Good indications had come from Danish midfielder Keller and Di Canio on his return from injury.
Lazio now only had 24 hours before their next friendly fixture, against Colleferro in nearby Valmontone. They then had one last practice game against Rieti before Serie A started in late August.
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Oddo (63' Belleri), Stendardo (25' Sannibale), Cribari (70' Lequi), Zauri, Keller (75' Melara), Firmani, Baronio (75' Dabo), César, Rocchi (60' S.Inzaghi), Di Canio
Manager: D.Rossi
Who played for Al Shabab
Rabee Juma (65' Rashid Juma), Walid Abbas, Esa Mohd, Khalid Mirza, Eid Ghanim, Nabid Talim Juna, Abdullah Darwish, Adel Abdulla, Saad Mubarak, Mohamed Rashed, Manga
Manager
Referee: Tagliavento
Goals: 12' Oddo, 37' Keller, 45' Di Canio, 59' Walid Abbas, 89' Di Canio (pen)
Sources
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