After 25 years Lazio are solitary leaders

Dag Jenkins
Feb 21, 2024
5 min read

Season 1998-99

Game 22, Serie A

Sunday, February 21, 1999

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Inter 1-0

In an exciting game Lazio edge Inter with a Conceição goal and go top alone

In Serie A so far Lazio had played 21 games. They got off to a sluggish start and in the first ten games had won 3 (including Inter 5-3 away), drawn 4 (including first 3) and lost 3. The Biancocelesti had then drawn a thrilling derby 3-3 and since then were flying. Lazio then won the next 9 consecutive games (including Juventus 1-0 away and league leaders Fiorentina 2-0 at home). The previous week however Lazio had been held to a goalless draw in Cagliari. Lazio were now top of the table with Fiorentina on 42 points. The table read Fiorentina 42, Lazio 42, Milan 40, Parma 38 and Inter 34.

This season the Inter manager was Gigi Simoni to start but he had been replaced after eleven fixtures (W5, D2, L 4) by Romanian Mircea Lucescu. Since then had taken over, the Nerazzurri had won 5 (including Venezia 6-2, Empoli and Cagliari 5-1 and Roma 4-1), drawn 2 and lost 3 (including the most recent game 1-2 at Perugia). They were currently in 5th place on 34 points.

A stern test for Lazio's title hopes today against one of the big three of Italian football. It was also possibly Inter's last chance to get back into the title race.

The match

A nice day with a pale sun brought a big crowd of 70,000 for this important game.

Lazio had to do without defender Beppe Pancaro while Inter were missing striker Ronaldo.

Lazio were well on top in the first half. After only thirty seconds Matias Almeyda tried a long range shot which whistled just over the bar. A few minutes later a Christian Vieri strike was walled by Beppe Bergomi's outstretched arm but the referee said to play on.

Lazio continued to attack and Sergio Conceição from the right put in a good low cross and Vieri beat his marker but his left foot flew well over the bar. Vieri tried again from a Pavel Nedved cross from the left but Pagliuca dived to his right and gathered low near the left post.

In the 18th minute Almeyda dispossessed Fabio Galante in midfield but clashed with Alessandro Nesta and was carried off injured. He came back on and was clearly limping but Eriksson valued him so highly he was reluctant to take him off for now.

Inter were very negative and defensive so Lazio constantly pushed forward.

In the 39th minute their pressure paid off. Nedved put in an excellent high cross from the left, Vieri headed but Gianluca Pagliuca parried, the rebound returned to Bobo who shot again from the far post and the keeper saved again but this time the ball fell to Conceição who drilled a low, close range left footed strike into the back of the net, 1-0.

In the 46th minute Inter finally had a shot at goal when Roberto Baggio latched onto a loose ball but his low shot lacked power and Luca Marchegiani was not troubled. Half time: Lazio 1 Inter 0.

A more than deserved lead for Lazio who had been by far the more positive team.

The second half initially started in the same pattern. Conceição crossed from the right and Vieri's floating header went just wide of the right post.

Inter however began to respond and Marchegiani was forced off his line and out of the area to anticipate Ivan Zamorano.

In the 50th minute Almeyda was finally forced off due to his previous injury and was replaced by Dejan Stankovic.

Inter then had a penalty appeal of their own when Zamorano went down on a Nesta tackle but the referee booked the Chilean forward for diving.

A few minutes later the duel repeated itself, but running towards the area on the left, the two jostled for about fifteen metres before Zamorano collapsed in the area. The visitors wanted Nesta off for the last man foul rule but the referee deemed it a normal shoulder to shoulder challenge.

For Inter, in the 68th minute popular former Lazio player Aron Winter came on for Javier Zanetti.

Inter were now more threatening. Diego Simeone chipped a ball into the area from the right and Youri Djorkaeff's low diving header was held on the far post by Marchegiani.

Lazio then almost doubled the score with two chances in one.

Marcelo Salas brilliantly weaved his way into the area on the left and squared to Nedved whose shot was cleared before the line by Galante, the ball then reached Conceição but his low shot was saved by Pagliuca with his feet.

The game was now exciting with chances at both ends. Benoît Cauet volleyed high from a clever Baggio cross and then Pagliuca dived low to anticipate Salas.

Vieri then produced a moment of magic even if the move came to nothing. He brilliantly pushed the ball forward with his heel and then backheeled it to the incoming Salas but the Matador's shot was blocked by a defender.

In the 81st minute Lucescu decided to go for it and took off defender Galante for talented midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Two minutes later he also replaced Djorkaeff with Nicola Ventola. At the same time Attilio Lombardo came on for Conceição.

Inter now pushed forward. Baggio curled a free kick which took a slight deflection off the wall and hit the crossbar with Marchegiani beaten. Pirlo then crossed deep into the left side of the area where Baggio hit a first time left-footed low volley but Marchegiani parried well.

Lazio had space on the break. First Nedved's low effort trickled just wide of the left post and then Salas had only the keeper to beat but managed to miss the target.

In the 91st minute Eriksson took extra precautions and took off Roberto Mancini for defender Fernando Couto. After three minutes of added time it was all over.

A huge roar greeted the final whistle. The second half had been spectacular but hardfought with Inter giving as good as they got. All in all however a deserved victory for the Biancocelesti who had played two good halves while Inter had literally only played one.

Lazio were now solitary Serie A leaders on 45 points. Fiorentina had been held to a 0-0 home draw by Roma so the table now read: Lazio 45, Fiorentina 43, Milan 43, Parma 41.

It was not since early in the 1974-75 season that Lazio had been alone at the top of Serie A. To find the Biancocelesti in this position so deep in the season one had to go back to the glorious 1973-74 season

Inter were now 6th on 34 points, overtaken by Udinese and definitely out of the title race.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Negro, Nesta, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Conceição (83' Lombardo), Mancini (91' F. Couto), Almeyda (50' Stankovic), Nedved, Vieri, Salas