Lazio leave it late but manage to carve out win

Dag Jenkins
Jan 5, 2023
4 min read

Season 2012-13

Game 19, Serie A

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Cagliari 2-1

The Biancocelesti come from behind with controversial late penalty to keep up with frontrunners

So far in Serie A Lazio were doing well. They had played 18 games and had won 11 (including, Roma 3-2, Milan 3-2 and Inter 1-0, all at home), drawn 3 (including Juve 0-0 away) and lost 4 (including Catania 0-4 away). Lazio were currently joint 2nd, with Napoli on 36 points. Juventus were already eight points clear at the top.

Cagliari were currently 17th on 16 points and only one point above the last relegation slot (Palermo on 15 points). The Sardinians had won 4 (Pulga's first 4), drawn 4 (including Inter 2-2 away) and lost 10 (including last five). The Rossoblu therefore had improved after the change of managers but were now struggling again.

Lazio were clear favourites tonight to continue their positive campaign, but Cagliari were desperate for points.

The match: Saturday, January 5, 2013, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

A pleasant evening brought about 30,000 to the Olimpico for the first game of the year.

Lazio only had squad members Eddy Onazi and Ederson missing while Cagliari had to do without regular defender Davide Astori.

Cagliari had a very defensive approach and relied on solitary but speedy Víctor Ibarbo up front for their counterattacks.

Lazio attacked but their first big chance only came in the 17th minute. Hernanes blasted a freekick from about 30 metres out and it hit the crossbar.

On the subsequent counterattack Ibarbo and then Marco Sau set up Radja Nainggolan, but his first shot was superbly saved by Federico Marchetti and his second, an open goal chance on the rebound, was blocked by Andrè Dias on the goal line.

Lazio had difficulty creating chances. A couple fell to Miroslav Klose, on one the German brought the ball down well, went round keeper Michael Agazzi but then pulled his shot sightly wide.

On another, Agazzi got down well and saved a low cross goal attempt by Senad Lulic. At halftime the score was still 0-0.

The second half started with another woodwork for Lazio. On a Stefano Mauri corner, Dario Del Fabbro headed the ball onto his own post.

Lazio however continued to struggle despite dominating territorial and possession statistics.

In the 56th minute the Islanders changed Andrea Dossena for more offensive midfielder Andrea Cossu. They were soon rewarded as in the 62nd minute the Rossoblu went in front. Sau freed himself behind Lazio's midfield and from the edge of the box sent a clinically precise low shot past Marchetti, 0-1.

Lazio's tactical response was to take off Álvaro "Tata" Gonzalez and bring on Antonio Candreva.

Lazio pushed forward but continued to have problems threatening let alone breaking down the visitors’ defensive set-up. Candreva had a couple of opportunities but was off target.

In the 74th minute Petkovc threw on another forward, Sergio Floccari, for midfielder Cristian Ledesma and Michaël Ciani took Dias' place in defence. A minute later Nené came on for Sau for the Sardinians.

In the 79th minute an increasingly frantic Lazio managed to equalise. From a corner Giuseppe Biava headed down to an unmarked Abdoulay Konko who lunged forward and slid the ball in from close range, 1-1.

Lazio were transformed at least in spirit and went close again with Biava.

Four minutes after the leveller Lazio took the lead but not without controversy. Klose surged into the area; his lobbed shot went over the bar but just at the same time he was clobbered by Agazzi. For referee Orsato it was a penalty. It was also Agazzi's second yellow, so he was off. After long protests, another red to Sau for dissent and a substitution to allow reserve keeper Vlada Avramov to replace Ibarbo, everything was ready for the spot kick. Candreva took the responsibility and hit a medium height shot to the left of Avramov who went the right way but could not get to the ball, 2-1.

With only a few minutes to go and in 9 men, a demoralised Cagliari gave up. Lazio could celebrate a third consecutive win and continue their high-flying league campaign.

It had not been easy, and Lazio had not played well. They had suffered Cagliari's dynamism and defensive organisation, doubling and sometimes tripling their marking on Lazio's danger men.

An important win nonetheless. Lazio were still 2nd on 39 points with Napoli but now five points behind Juventus (defeated 1-2 at home by Sampdoria). They had also equalled the halfway points record set by Sven-Goran Eriksson's Lazio in the 1999-2000 Scudetto season.

Cagliari had battled hard and could understandably feel hard done by for the penalty decision. The Rossoblu were now 3rd bottom on 16 points, overtaken by Genoa who had beaten Bologna 2-0 at home. If the season ended today Casteddu would be down.

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Konko, Biava, Dias (74' Ciani), Radu, Ledesma (74' Floccari), Mauri, A.Gonzalez (62' Candreva), Hernanes, Lulic, Klose