Game 13, Serie A
Sunday November 26, 2006
Stadio Olimpico, Rome,
Lazio Ascoli 3-1
A great goal by Pandev allowed Lazio to clinch the three points against a dangerous Ascoli side.
In Serie A Lazio started pretty badly with two defeats against Milan and Palermo, but they had not played badly (especially against Palermo). And as a matter of fact Lazio played quite well most matches with some good wins and just a few bad losses.
The big boost in confidence arrived with the -11 deducted for the calciopoli scandal at the beginning of the season being changed to only -3, eight more points on the table all in one go.
The match
It was not an easy match for Lazio. Coming from two big wins against Udinese and Messina, the fans expected another performance with lots of goals and it looked like this match could deliver the goods when eight minutes in the game Stefano Mauri’s shot was deflected by Gianluca Pagliuca against Manuel Belleri, in the right place at the right time, to make it 1-0. Ascoli protested for a possible offside but to no avail.
Things are looking downhill for the Biancocelesti but this was not to be the case. Eight minutes later Michelangelo Minieri crossed the ball low in the penalty box and Mauri was unlucky. Instead of clearing the ball, he sent it behind Angelo Peruzzi for the Ascolani's equaliser.
Not to worry. Goran Pandev in the 25th minute dribbled three players a-la-Alberto Tomba and put the ball past Pagliuca. The North Macedonian player missed an easy chance very shortly after.
Lazio then mistakenly stopped playing and handed over the initiative to Ascoli who missed a really easy chance with substitute Giampietro Perulli ten minutes from the end. Lazio stirred and it was soon 3-1. In the 84th minute Tommaso Rocchi crossed a low ball and Pasquale Foggia slotted in to give Lazio the double lead.
With this win Lazio started thinking that maybe a Champions League qualification was no longer mission impossible.
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Belleri, Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri, Mudingayi, Baronio (60’ Firmani), Mutarelli, Mauri (82’ Makinwa), Pandev (74’ Foggia), Rocchi
Manager: Rossi
Who played for Ascoli
Pagliuca, Minieri, Cudini, Nastase, Pesce, G. Fontana, Fini (84’ Pecchia), P. Zanetti, Boudianski (65’ Perrulli), Guberti (78’ Delvecchio), Bjelanovic
Substitutes: Elefteropoulos, Pecorari, Bocchetti, Galloppa
Manager: Sonetti
Referee: Paparesta
Goals: 8’ Belleri, 16’ Mauri (og), 25’ Pandev, 84’ Foggia
Sources
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