Vital win

2012-13 Season

Game 30, Serie A

Saturday, March 30, 2014

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Catania 2-1

Two late goals secure victory against Catania

Source Lazio Wiki

Lazio started the season very well and by the end of the first half were second. The Champions League looked possible. But since January they had won just two games and qualification for the top European tournament was seven points away, perhaps too many.

The match

Lazio started well and in the 9th minute Antonio Candreva from the right went into the box but in front of Mariano Andujar kicked the ball over the crossbar. In the 15th minute Eddy Onazi on the right tried a shot, Nicola Legrottaglie managed to stop it but as it was slowly going into corner Louis Saha managed to get to it but could make decent contact with the ball and his attempted tap in went out on the other side. In the 28th minute, Lorik Cana went off on the left, dribbled past a Catania player and passed to Senad Lulic who immediately gave it to Hernanes. Cana had followed the play and the Brazilian passed to him who by that time had arrived in the box. The Albanian stopped the ball but it went a little too far forward. His shot was parried by the goalkeeper but the ball ricocheted off Cana and hit the crossbar. Lucky but unlucky.

In the 50th minute Gonzalo Bergessio was at the edge of the box, challenged by Onazi and Cristian Ledesma. The Argentinian, in an attempt to anticipate Marco Biagianti, kicked the ball into the Lazio box, but Stefan Radu had control of the situation. He turned around and tried a clearance but the ball hit Mariano Izco and went into the net. Lazio 0 Catania 1, completely against the run of play and very, very lucky for the Islanders.

The Biancocelesti were in shock and had problems thinking straight. So, Vladimir Petkovic sent in Ederson, Libor Kozak and Miro Klose, returning from 54 days of inactivity due to injury. This changed things a little bit and Lazio increased their momentum. In the 69th minute Ederson slalomed into the box and tried to pass to Kozak but the tall Czech was anticipated by a defender. In the 76th minute Kozak was fouled in the box but the referee, Massa, ignored it. Three minutes later Radu put a low cross into the box and Legrottaglie, in an attempt to anticipate Kozak, put the ball into his own net.

Two minutes later Ederson again tried a slalom into the Catania box and was very clearly fouled by Giuseppe Bellusci. This time, but he could do little else, the ref gave Lazio the penalty and Candreva slotted in the spot kick.

Difficult, but vital win for the Biancocelesti in a match that looked jinxed.

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Biava, Cana, Radu, A. Gonzalez, Ledesma, Onazi (64’ Ederson), Hernanes (75’ Klose), Lulic, Candreva, Saha (63’ Kozak)

Substitutes: Bizzari, Strakosha, Crecco, Pereirinha, Mauri, Stankevicius, Antic, Rozzi

Manager: Petkovic

Who played for Catania

Andujar, Alvarez, Legrottaglie, Bellusci, Marchese, Izco, Lodi, Biagianti (86' Doukara), Barrientos, Bergessio, Gomez (78' Castro).

Substitutes: Frison, Terracciano, Rolin, Ricchiuti, Salifu, Cani, Keko, Petkovic.

Manager: Maran

Referee: Massa

Goals: 50’ Izco, 79’ Legrottaglie (og), 81’ Candreva (pen)

Sources

Lazio Wiki