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Writer's pictureDag Jenkins
Nov 24, 20223 min read

Liverani gem sends "old lady" packing

Game 12, Serie A

Saturday, November 24, 2001


Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Juventus 1-0


A wonderfully skillful goal by the Roman midfielder gives Lazio a deserved victory

Source Lazio Wiki

The season so far


The season had started with three lacklustre draws which led the club to substitute manager Dino Zoff with Alberto Zaccheroni. The Biancocelesti had not really improved and after 11 games Lazio were joint 8th with Brescia on 14 points (Chievo were shock leaders on 20).


Always a big game Lazio vs Juventus. Lazio felt they were in with a chance tonight as there was the impression that Juventus were not at their best yet.


The match


A big crowd of 65,000 for this game on a cold Saturday night.

 

It was fan favourite Pavel Nedved's return to Rome and at least this first time he got a warm welcome. He went under the Curva Nord and was given a plaque, a scarf and plenty of applause. The other Scudetto hero Marcelo Salas was missing through injury.

 

Lazio were without defenders Jaap Stam and Beppe Pancaro plus midfielder César while Juventus had defenders Ciro Ferrara, Pablo Montero and midfielder Antonio Conte unavailable as well as the Chilean former Lazio striker.

 

The first half was balanced. Pavel Nedved had a low long range free kick go wide and Alessandro Del Piero was anticipated in front of goal on a Nedved cross. Lazio sat back and hoped to catch Juventus on the break. They almost did when Simone Inzaghi backheeled a Beppe Favalli cross from the left but his cheeky attempt trickled past the right post.

 

The game was tense with several scuffles, especially between hard men Fernando Couto and Igor Tudor. The mood was not helped by an off ball headbutt by David Trezeguet on Simone Inzaghi which went unnoticed by the referee.

 

So, Juventus attacked but without any major chances and Lazio waited for their moment. It seemed to come in the 43rd minute. On a Fabio Liverani free kick from the left, Simone Inzaghi rose high but his header hit the right post with Gianluigi Buffon beaten. Halftime Lazio 0 Juventus 0.

 

Not a spectacular game so far and the draw was probably a fair result.

 

The second half saw the same XI's take the field.

 

The game however changed immediately. In the 49th minute Alessio Tacchinardi made a risky back pass to Buffon who had to come off his line and head the ball away but it reached Liverani who with a brilliant snooker like lob, with the outside of his left foot, put it over the keeper and into the net. A fantastic goal, Lazio 1 Juventus 0.

 

Juventus' reaction was a low right foot by Nedved but Angelo Peruzzi blocked and gathered.

 

It was then Lazio who went close to doubling their lead. In 55th minute Karel Poborsky set up Hernan Crespo inside the area on the right but his powerful strike hit the post and went out.

 

Juventus' main attacks were with constant crosses. Some caused a spot of apprehension to the defence but apart from a Trezeguet scissor kick which went wide and Peruzzi having to dive low to anticipate Amoruso, Lazio were rarely threatened.

 

One problem for Lazio was Peruzzi fracturing his wrist on the low dive but he stoically continued for the remaining twenty-five minutes. Luckily for the "Cinghialone" (Wild boar) and Lazio, the visitors ran out of steam and apart from a few long-range efforts, well over the bar, never really caused any more problems. Final score Lazio 1 Juventus 0.

 

A huge satisfaction for Lazio as beating the "Old lady" always is. It was a deserved win nonetheless as Lazio had been tactically intelligent, scored an amazing goal and hit the woodwork twice.

 

Lazio moved up to joint 5th with Juventus, Bologna and Brescia on 17 points. Chievo were still surprise leaders on 23.

 

One concern on this almost perfect night was Peruzzi's injury which would keep him out for about a month.

 

Who played for Lazio


Substitutes: Marchegiani, Mihajlovic, Mendieta, Kovacevic

Manager: Zaccheroni

 

Who played for Juventus


Buffon, Thuram, Tudor, Iuliano, C. Zenoni (60' Maresca), Tacchinardi (78' Paramatti), Davids, Zambrotta, Nedved, Del Piero (68' Amoruso), Trezeguet

Substitutes: Rampulla, Birindelli, Pessotto, Zalayeta

Manager: Lippi

 

Referee: Collina


Goal: 49' Liverani



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