Sixteen year wait for European win is over

Dag Jenkins
Sep 14, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Sep 30

Season 1993-94

UEFA Cup, First Round, First Leg

Wednesday, September 15, 1993

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2-0

Lazio beat Bulgarians 2-0 but it should have been more

Ticket owned by Dag Jenkins. Photo by Dag Jenkins

Serie A had already started and Lazio had won 1 (Parma 2-1 at home), drawn 2 (Foggia 0-0 at home and Reggiana 0-0 away) and lost 1 (most recent game 0-1 away to Cremonese). A tentative start to their league campaign.

Tonight however was Lazio's long awaited return to Europe after 16 years against Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

Lazio were favourites tonight but could risk stage fright after so many years away from the European stage.

The match

A mild evening and a hunger for European football brought about 50,000 spectators to the Olimpico

Lazio were missing attacking midfielder Diego Fuser and injured Paul Gascoigne.

It was immediately clear what sort of game to expect. The Bulgarians were exclusively defensive, rough and ready to limit Lazio by any means possible, fair or foul.

Lazio attacked constantly and the Bulgarians defended in the last thirty metres. Lazio had chances with a Gigi Casiraghi header, an off-target Beppe Signori volley and Casiraghi again who failed to chest the ball down properly.

The goal came in the 23rd minute. Signori took a corner, Krasimir Kostov cleared, Roberto Cravero tried a shot which hit Dimitar Vasev's back and fell to Casiraghi who hammered it in from close range. Lazio 1 Plovdiv 0 and the Biancocelesti's first European goal since Bruno Giordano's against Lens on October 19, 1977.

The Bulgarians despite falling behind maintained exactly the same tactical approach.

Lazio had chances but were not clinical, perhaps tense on their continental return. Signori headed too centrally and later Casiraghi collapsed into the keeper and was booked. Halftime came with Lazio only one goal up despite dominating, 1-0

The second half was no different. The "Smurfs" had no intention of coming out of their shell. They were punished again however in the 55th minute. Signori floated a free kick into the area from the left and Cravero timed his run and jump perfectly and headed past Krasimir Kolev, 2-0.

In the 62nd minute the Black and Whites made a change bringing on defender Mihail Yumerski for midfielder Mirko Milutinovic.

The game got dirtier mainly thanks to the visitors. In the 63rd minute Vasev was sent off for one filthy foul on Signori's ankles too many.

Lazio had more chances with Signori and Roberto Bacci before Casiraghi missed a sitter.

In the 77th minute forward Georgi Dimitrov came on for defender Valentin Valchev.

The Juventus of Plovdiv players continued to go for the Romans' legs but the referee was too permissive so in the 80th minute Thomas Doll went for his own personal vendetta following a vicious foul by Diyan Petkov on Roberto Di Matteo. It was not a great idea and the German was promptly given his marching orders.

Petkov himself did not take the cue to calm down and kept on hacking away and was finally given a second yellow and subsequent red card in the 82nd minute.

Lazio attacked furiously until the end but had never really settled all match and lacked the necessary lucidity to score more goals. In the 89th minute Dino Zoff tried one last change and threw on midfielder Luciano De Paola for defender Beppe Favalli. It was too late, final score: Lazio 2 Plovdiv 0.

A decent result with no away goals conceded but seeing Lazio's dominance the margin should have been wider. In two weeks' time in Sofia the Bulgarians would presumably have to venture out of their half to try and score some goals thus giving Lazio some space on the break.

A historic evening anyway for Lazio with a winning European return.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Bacci, Favalli (89' De Paola), Di Matteo, Luzardi, Cravero, Winter, Doll, Casiraghi, Di Mauro, Signori