Domination

Season 1998-99

Game 8, Serie A

Sunday, November 8, 1998

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Empoli 4-1

Lazio thrash Empoli with goals from Negro, Salas and Mancini

In Serie A, so far Lazio were sixth in the company of Bari and Inter. They had started with three consecutive draws followed by two wins (5-3 against Inter in Milan) but in the last couple of games they had earned just one point between Vicenza and Salernitana.

Time for a convincing win.

The match: Sunday, November 8, 1998, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio started strongly. Very strongly. After a goal disallowed due to a Marcelo Salas offside, in the 18th minute a venomous Sinisa Mihajlovic free kick was headed by Roberto Mancini. Matteo Sereni was miraculous and parried the attempt onto the post. In the 22nd minute Mihajlovic took a corner, the ball arrived to Dejan Stankovic who tried a shot towards the far post, Paolo Negro intervened and made sure the ball went into the net.

In the 26th minute Beppe Favalli to Salas who chipped the ball for Pavel Nedved, splendid volley from outside the box, another marvellous save by the Empoli keeper. Mihajlovic took the corner, ball cleared by the Brescia defence, in came Negro from 30 metres, missile impossible to save, Lazio 2 Empoli 0.

In the 30th minute Sereni had the ball, Salas pressed him, the keeper tried to get rid of the ball but accidently hit the Chilean and it went into the goal.

In the 42nd minute Empoli’s first attempt. Arturo Di Napoli on a free kick hit the crossbar.

Lazio continued to attack and in the 47th minute Giorgio Venturin forced Sereni into another great save with a shot from outside the box. In the 54th minute Nedved to Mancini, unmarked in the box, powerful shot, Sereni parried into corner. Eight minutes later, the Czech midfielder to Mancini again who avoided the return of the defence and this time was able to beat Sereni for his 150th goal in Serie A.

Lazio slowed down and Empoli managed to score in the 81st minute. Alessandro Pane opened up the defence and Marco Carparelli beat Marco Ballotta who had substituted Luca Marchegiani in the interval. Salas could have made it five but again Sereni managed to deflect his close range shot onto the crossbar.

Good win for the Biancocelesti who really dominated right from the word go.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani (46’ Ballotta), Pancaro (52’ Lombardi), Negro, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Stankovic, Venturin (73’ Conceicao), Almeyda, Nedved, Mancini, Salas