Easy win

Simon Basten
Mar 18, 2024
3 min read

Season 1998-99

Cup Winners Cup, Quarter Final, Second Leg

Thursday, March 18, 1999

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Panionios NFC 3-0

Lazio complete their demolition of Panionios with goals from Nedved, Stankovic and de la Peña

In today’s competition, the Cup Winners Cup, Lazio had so far eliminated Lausanne on away goals and Partizan Beograd 3-2. In the first leg of the quarter finals they had hammered Panionios 4-0 and were virtually through to the semis.

The match

Sven-Goran Eriksson took the opportunity of using just three first eleven player – Alessandro Nesta, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Pavel Nedved – and giving a rest to most of the others.

It was the Czech who had a first opportunity in the 3rd minute but after a splendid assist from Guerino Gottardi, he took too long for the shot and the Greek defence saved into corner. Mihajlovic took the corner and Dejan Stankovic went for the header, well saved by Fotaq Strakosha, father of Thomas.

In the 7th minute Gottardi was dangerous with a shot from inside the penalty box but Strakosha saved. Then the game got boring. The Biancocelesti did not want to waste too much energy and the Greeks were too weak to propose anything dangerous. In the 40th minute great ball from Nedved on the left towards Gottardi on the right on the edge of the area, he controlled it and passed to Ivan de la Peña who tried a shot but it went wide, just.

In the 51st minute a Gottardi cross was only half cleared by the defence, Stankovic had a chance but he headed the ball wide. A minute later Nedved in the box tried to move past Strakosha but the keeper saved into corner. Lazio continued to have a number of half chances with Nedved, Gottardi and Stankovic often thanks to de la Peña assists. In the 66th minute it was Roberto Baronio with a volley from outside the box who made Strakosha work. Finally, in the 69th minute the Biancocelesti scored. de la Pena from the left, splendid cross into the box, Nedved anticipated Strakosha and it was 1-0.

The Greeks immediately had a chance to equalise as Garry Haylock, probably in off side, found himself face to face with Marco Ballotta, but kicked the ball wide. In the 76th minute Attilio Lombardo sent a great pass to Stankovic who beat Strakosha for the 2-0. The third goal came shortly after. On the counter attack de la Peña to Nedved on the left, cross into the middle and the Spaniard scored his first goal of the season.

Lazio through to the semifinals where they would meet Lokomotiv Moscow.

Who played for Lazio

Ballotta, Lombardo, Nesta, Mihajlovic (71' Crovari), Lombardi, Gottardi, Baronio, Couto, Nedved, Stankovic, de La Peña