All pretty easy

Simon Basten
Apr 6, 2024
3 min read

Season 2002-03

Game 27, Serie A

Sunday, April 6, 2003

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Como 3-0

Lazio score early and finish Como off in the second half

For this season, Roberto Mancini had to reinvent the team and he did a really good job. They struggled at home, but this was compensated by a good number of away wins. The season looked promising. At one point, Lazio were top of the table after recovering from a 0-2 deficit and winning 3-2 at Piacenza. At the end of the first part of the season Lazio were joint second with Inter and just three points behind Juve.

But in the next 5 games the Biancocelesti had only managed four draws and any hopes of battling for the scudetto had faded. But there was a Champions League qualification to go for and the Biancocelesti were fourth with eight games remaining in the season.

The match

The game was basically over within 17 minutes. Lazio dominated from the start. In the 6th minute, Beppe Favalli whipped in a cross, Bernardo Corradi brought it down, and Stefano Fiore got there first to slot it past a helpless Fabrizio Ferron. Eleven minutes later, another cross from the left—this time from Sinisa Mihajlovic—and Corradi headed in for 2–0. It all looked pretty easy, especially against a defender like Teixeira Juarez, who just watched the striker on both goals.

At that point, Lazio sat back a bit and left it to Angelo Peruzzi, who had to make three excellent saves. Nicola Amoruso with a header, Pasquale Padalino and Nicola Corrent dangerous shots all tested him, but he dealt with them brilliantly, throwing himself at everything. Lazio struggled a little—Dejan Stankovic had been roughed up and slowed down noticeably, and Giuliano Giannichedda wasn’t quite filling Diego Simeone’s shoes—but Mihajlovic kept things tight at the back.

Lazio came out strongly again in the second half—clearly Roberto Mancini had fired them up at halftime. In the 6th minute, a great move between Fabio Liverani and Claudio Lopez ended with Corradi just missing the target. A few minutes later, from a Mihajlovic corner, Corradi clipped the crossbar with a header. In the 15th minute, he thought he’d scored again. The referee initially gave it, then ruled it out for a foul by Beppe Pancaro—ironically pointed out by the ever-sporting Mihajlovic. It was a great move though: Giannichedda’s header, Nicola Corrent clearing off the line, Pancaro handling it slightly, and Corradi finishing well. Eugenio Fascetti was furious, the referee checked with his assistant, and the goal was chalked off. Mancini was angry too, but his own players calmed him down by admitting the foul.

Still, a third goal felt inevitable—and it came in the 66th minute on the counter. Cesar got into the box but couldn’t get a shot away and went towards the by-line. Padalino, out of breath, clipped him—an unnecessary foul since Stjepan Tomas already had him covered. Lopez stepped up and smashed the penalty home, sending Ferron the wrong way.

Como were now all over the place. They pushed forward and risked conceding more, and they could thank Fiore’s unselfishness for not making it worse—he kept looking to set up Corradi and Lopez instead of going for goal himself. The crowd was on its feet applauding; it felt more like a preseason friendly against a small local side. Mancini even went for an ultra-attacking setup, bringing on Enrico Chiesa for Favalli. But despite everything, the fourth goal just wouldn’t come.

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Pancaro, Negro, Mihajlovic, Favalli (70’ Chiesa), Fiore, Giannichedda, Stankovic (47’ Liverani), Cesar, Corradi, Lopez (78’ Castroman)