Game 5, Serie A
Sunday, October 5, 2003
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Chievo 1-0
At the fifth attempt Lazio defeat Chievo but need a deflected Mihajlovic free kick to do so
So far, in Serie A Lazio had played four games and won 2 (Lecce 4-1 at home on debut and Sampdoria 2-1 away), drawn 1 (2-2 away at Empoli the previous week) and lost 1 (Parma 2-3 at home). Lazio were currently 6th on 7 points.
Chievo had won 2 (Lecce 2-1 away and Perugia 4-1 at home), drawn 1 (Brescia 1-1 away on debut) and lost 1 (Juventus 1-2 at home). The "Mussi Volanti" (Flying Donkeys) therefore had 7 points and were in 6th position, the same as Lazio.
A game between two sides in the same position in the table. Lazio had never beaten Chievo at home or away, 2 defeats and 3 draws. After one of the draws however, in Coppa Italia in 1995, Lazio had won on penalties. Time to beat the Clivensi inside the 90 minutes.
The match
Today was "Maglia Day", an occasion to celebrate Lazio's history and all the different shirts worn over 103 years. The season ticket holders had been given a special shirt signed by all the players so that one was very much in evidence among the 45,000 present.
The afternoon started with further celebrations for the return, now as an opponent, of Scudetto winning keeper Luca Marchegiani, who had served Lazio well for ten years.
The game was very tactical from the start. Lazio attacked but had great difficulty against Chievo's high defence and constant pressing.
The first half was a very cagey affair with few goal scoring chances. Chievo had a Sala header early on go wide and Lazio had a Jaap Stam freekick saved by Marchegiani, a goal line clearance by Mario Santana and a penalty appeal for a Luigi Sala foul on Roberto Muzzi. Not much else happened apart from Chievo muffling Lazio's attacks and making it clear with time wasting tactics that they would happily take a draw.
For the second half both sides made replacements in attack. Muzzi had injured his ankle and was substituted by Simone Inzaghi while the visitors changed Federico Cossato with Mauricio Pinilla.
The game followed the same pattern as the first. Lazio pushing forward but finding it extremely difficult to create chances. Lots of corners, crosses, scrambles but not much else.
In the 54th minute Luciano Zauri replaced Beppe Favalli for Lazio and in the 58th former Lazio Daniele Franceschini came on for a disappointing Franco Semioli.
Simone Inzaghi was lively at least and brought some energy up front. In the 64th minute Stefano Fiore was possibly fouled by Franceschini, centrally outside the box. The referee thought so anyway and blew his whistle. The specialist Sinisa Mihajlovic stepped up but this time needed a blatant deflection to wrong foot and beat "Conte" Marchegiani. A stroke of luck but Lazio 1 Chievo 0.
The visitors reacted by bringing on future Lazio Giuseppe Sculli for a subdued Amauri in the 69th minute.
Chievo however, after being more interested in destroying than constructing, had difficulty in changing their game plan. It was only in the last stages of the game that they put on any real pressure and closed Lazio in their area. Despite Fabio Liverani getting himself sent off in injury time Lazio resisted to hold on to their first clean sheet of the season and finally managed to get a win over Chievo at their fifth attempt.
By no means a vintage performance by Lazio and an unspectacular game against tactically difficult opposition. Nevertheless, the positive vibes of "Maglia Day" continued with a feel good three points.
Lazio moved up to 5th on 10 points.
Unknowingly but on the down side it would be another ten years until Lazio beat Chievo again at home...
Who played for Lazio
Peruzzi, Stam, Couto, Mihajlovic, Favalli (54' Zauri), Fiore, Dabo, Liverani, Stankovic (82' Giannichedda), Muzzi (46' S. Inzaghi), C. Lopez
Manager: Mancini
Who played for Chievo
Marchegiani, Moro, Sala, D'Anna, Lanna, Semioli (58' Franceschini), Perrotta, Zanchetta, Santana, Cossato (46' Pinilla), Amauri (69' Sculli)
Substitutes: Frezzolini, Mensah, Barzagli, Morrone
Manager: Delneri
Referee: Collina
Goal: 64' Mihajlovic
Red Card: 91' Liverani (L)
Sources
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