Clinical Lazio sink bête noire

Dag Jenkins

Sep 15, 2023

3 min read

Season 2013-14

Game 3, Serie A

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Chievo 3-0

With 3 first half goals Lazio beat Chievo at home for the first time in ten years

This season under Vladimir Petkovic had not started so positively and Lazio lost the Supercoppa final 4-0 against a vastly superior Juventus.

In Serie A Lazio had played two games. They started well beating Udinese 2-1 at home but then got thumped again by Juventus 1-4 away.

Time to get back on track.

So far Chievo had drawn 0-0 at Parma and lost 2-4 at home to Napoli.

On paper not a hugely difficult game for Lazio but that was not taking into account the fact that Chievo were one of Lazio's bêtes noires at the Olimpico. In 11 home league games the Biancocelesti had won 1 (2003), drawn 6 and lost 4. A shocking record.

The match

An overcast day with previous rain brought about 30,000 spectators to the Olimpico.

The Curva Nord remained empty for the first 15 minutes in protest against the club's lack of ambition on the transfer market.

Lazio were without injured defender Stefan Radu, injured midfielder Lucas Biglia, suspended midfielder Hernanes (yellow card accumulation) and Stefano Mauri (for betting scandal).

Chievo were missing defender Dario Dainelli and midfielder Simone Bentivoglio.

The game began perfectly for Lazio who inside ten minutes were already ahead. In the 8th minute Ederson set up Antonio Candreva who surged forward on the right and once in the area hit a low shot which with a slight deflection off Boštjan Cesar and went in to Christian Puggioni's left, 1-0.

In the 15th minute Lazio suffered an injury to Giuseppe Biava who was replaced by Michaël Ciani.

Chievo reacted and had a lot of possession but few chances. The main one came in the 35th minute when following a lapse in concentration by Lazio's Luis Pedro Cavanda they had a low central shot by Alberto Paloschi from just outside the area, Federico Marchetti parried and then Cyril Théréau fired the rebound over the bar.

Cavanda was clearly in difficulty on the left so he was switched to the right with Abdoulay Konko going to the left.

In the 39th minute, after a prolonged move, Cristian Ledesma crossed long into the area from the left, the ball went over the entire defence and reached the far right post where Cavanda lunged forward and slid the ball in, 2-0. A timely switch of flanks for the Angolan-born Congolese-Belgian who scored the first goal of his career.

Three minutes later Ogenyi Onazi with a clever touch played Senad Lulic through in space on the left, the May 26 hero ran forward between two defenders and beat Puggioni coming off his line with a low finish which went under the keeper, 3-0.

Three shots and three goals for Lazio while Chievo had 9 corners to none but had rarely threatened.

In the second half Chievo played with former Juventus Marcelo Estigarribia instead of Alessio Sestu. Lazio sat back and controlled while Chievo tried to reopen the game.

They went close with a Paloschi backheel in front of goal but the ball trickled just wide of the right post.

In the 59th minute the visitors threw on forward Sergio Pellissier in place of midfielder Ivan Radovanovic.

It was Lazio however who went closer to scoring again as in the 63rd minute Candreva hit the crossbar with an audacious lob and then in the 69th a Miro Klose header was saved well by Puggioni.

In the 70th minute Boadu Maxwell Acosty was brought on in Théréau's place.

In the 78th minute Álvaro González replaced Ederson in midfield.

Towards the end Marchetti denied the Clivensi even a consolation goal as he superbly kept out a Paloschi close range header.

There was only time for Keita Balde to come on for Cavanda in the 89th minute before Calvarese blew for full time, 3-0.

The first half had been reasonably balanced but Lazio had scored three goals. The second half had little to say as the result was no longer in doubt.

Next up for Lazio was the derby.

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Konko, Biava (15' Ciani), Cana, Cavanda (89' Keita), Candreva, Onazi, Ledesma, Lulic, Ederson (78' A.Gonzalez), Klose