Welcome to the Gazza show

Simon Basten
May 16, 2023
3 min read

Season 1992-93

Game 31, Serie A

Sunday, May 16, 1993

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Ancona 5-0

As Lazio get closer to a UEFA Cup qualification, Gascoigne steals the show

Lazio had started slowly with four consecutive draws, with the first win coming in the fifth match thanks to a Beppe Signori hat-trick. But they had played well, Paul Gascoigne, despite some ups and downs, gave a good contribution to the team. His goal in the dying moments of his first derby was legendary.

The squad was young but after 21 matches Lazio were joint fifth with Sampdoria one point behind Parma, 4th, and two from Juventus, third, in UEFA Cup qualification territory.

The match

Ancona could see exactly what afternoon it would be when after a few minutes Alessandro Nista was forced to parry into corner a great shot from Diego Fuser from out of the penalty area.

In the 6th minute Karl-Heinz Riedle missed an excellent opportunity following a marvellous play by Beppe Favalli and in the 16th minute it was Signori to shoot over the crossbar from a good position.

The visitors did try and almost went ahead when Lajos Detari’s volley on a Sean Sogliano cross was well saved by Nando Orsi. In the 22nd minute corner for Lazio, big header from Riedle, Nista saved. Three minutes later, same script, same Riedle header off a corner, same Nista save, but this time Roberto Cravero was in the right place at the right time and made it 1-0 for the Biancocelesti.

The home side slowed down the pace and Ancona were dangerous in the 33rd minute with a Milos Glonek header which went too high. But Lazio made it two in the 48th minute. Gascoigne, wearing a protective mask, tried a pass which Sogliano intercepted but it became an assist for Fuser who raced towards the box and also due to a misunderstanding between Nista and Stefano Fontana on who was going to intervene, comfortably went passed them and deposited the ball in the back of the net.

Having secured the result, Lazio’s main objective was to get Signori to score. Great assist from Gazza, Signori dribbled past the Ancona keeper and from a difficult angle tried a shot, Glonek managed to save with the help of the post. After a Detari header well saved by Orsi, in the 71st minute Gascoigne got the ball in the Biancoceleste half and went off dribbling past players on the way. In front of the keeper he passed to Riedle who had not scored for a while and it was simple for the German to make it 3-0.

Gazza almost made it four with another progression but Nista denied him the goal. In the 89th minute Fuser to Signori on the left inside the box, big shot towards the far post, 4-0. A minute later Gascoigne for Signori, same position as before, 5-0.

Lazio raced towards a UEFA Cup qualification and if Gazza continued to play like this anything could happen.

Who played for Lazio

Orsi, Bacci, Favalli, Sclosa, Luzardi, Cravero (50' Marcolin), Fuser, Winter, Riedle, Gascoigne, Signori