No happy ending

Dag Jenkins
May 23, 2024
4 min read

Season 1998-99

Game 34, Serie A

Sunday, May 23, 1999

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Parma 2-1

Lazio win but news from Perugia shatters title dream

In Serie A so far Lazio had played 33 games and were 2nd in the table one-point behind Milan. Lazio had got off to a sluggish start and in the first ten games won 3 (including Inter 5-3 away), drew 4 (including first 3) and lost 3. The Biancocelesti had then drawn a thrilling derby 3-3 and after that hit top gear. Lazio won 9 consecutive games (including Juventus 1-0 away) before a 0-0 away draw in Cagliari. Lazio had then continued with six more wins (including Inter 1-0 at home), two draws (including 0-0 draw with Milan at home with a Christian Vieri goal controversially disallowed) but also two bad defeats (derby and Juventus) which cut their lead. Lazio then won the next three but then a week before today had been held to a controversial 1-1 draw in Florence (clear penalty denied on Marcelo Salas). They were therefore overtaken by Milan at the penultimate hurdle. The table read Milan 67, Lazio 66.

Parma were joint 3rd, on 55 points with Fiorentina. The Ducali could finish 3rd or 4th as Roma, Juventus and Udinese were on 51. They were therefore already guaranteed a Champions League 3rd round preliminary (3rd and 4th places in A). They had won 15 (including Milan 4-0, Inter 1-0 at home, Juventus 4-2 Inter 3-1 and Piacenza 6-3 away), drawn 10 and lost 9 (including Lazio 1-3).

Lazio were expected to win today but it would be in vain if Milan won at Perugia (already safe so with nothing to play for).

The match

A sunny and hot day saw just under 75,000 fans pack the Olimpico hoping for a happy ending.

Lazio had no real absences.

Parma on the other hand were missing defender Antonio Benarrivo, midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Mario Stanic plus forwards Hernan Crespo and Abel Balbo.

In the starting lineup the Gialloblu had one former Lazio player (Diego Fuser) and four future (Nestor Sensini, Dino Baggio, Stefano Fiore and Enrico Chiesa).

Lazio predictably dominated possession and territory but the first to go close were Parma when Alessandro Nesta deflected a Paolo Vanoli cross towards his own goal but fortunately Luca Marchegiani was alert and saved.

In the 11th minute Milan took the lead in Perugia. Hopes were fading.

The Lazio keeper however got injured making the save and in the 26th minute was replaced by Marco Ballotta.

A minute later Lazio went in front. In the 27th minute Sinisa Mihajlovic floated in a freekick from the left, the ball reached Paolo Negro near the far post who shot but failed to hit it proprely, fortunately Marcelo Salas then made sure it went in, 1-0.

In the 31st minute Milan doubled the score in Perugia. Hopes were almost gone.

Lazio controlled the rest of the half without any particular problems as Parma were certainly not playing at full throttle. Nevertheless Enrico Chiesa had a dangerous free kick effort which skimmed the crossbar. The only player who seemed completely concentrated was Gianluigi Buffon who kept the score at a single goal denying Christian Vieri at least a couple of times. Halftime: Lazio 1 Parma 0.

Meanwhile in Perugia in the 34th minute the Umbrians had pulled one back with a Hidetoshi Nakata penalty. There was renewed hope.

Lazio via Roberto Mancini tried to convince the referee to restart the second half in the same moment as the Milan game but he was not having it so Lazio kicked off first.

The attention was mainly on Perugia but in the 54th minute the Lazio world was brusquely brought back to the here and now of the Olimpico. Somewhat out of the blue Parma equalised.

Paolo Vanoli was given space on the left and burst into the area, Ballotta came out and blocked him but the ball spun up and the Lombard defender was given a second chance which he hit low into the left corner, 1-1. The Olimpico was in shock.

In the 59th minute Lazio threw on Dejan Stankovic for Sergio Conceição.

Lazio began a siege on the Parma goal but Buffon seemed unbeatable. He denied Christian Vieri three times, Mihajlovic twice and then Pavel Nedved.

The Gialloblu were pinned back constantly and in the 64th minute replaced Luigi Sartor for Roberto Mussi.

There was no news from Perugia which was a bad sign but Lazio pushed forward so as not to have any regrets.

The Biancocelesti finally managed to get past Buffon in the 75th minute. Paolo Negro crossed low from the right and Salas scored from close range, 2-1.

The game practically ended here. A few more substitutions, one for Lazio and two for Parma but the contest was virtually over. All ears were on the radios awaiting a miracle from Perugia.

The miracle never came. The Grifoni had no intention of spoiling Milan's party and did not put up much of a fight. Fortunately the following year in more or less the same circumstances, but with Juventus, it would be a different story.

For now it was a sad ending for Lazio. The players were in tears and not even the parading of the Cup Winners Cup trophy could mitigate the huge disappointment. Lazio had been leaders for three months but were pipped to the post by Milan.

The 70,000 applauded anyway. The dream had been wonderful despite its conclusion.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani (26' Ballotta), Negro, Nesta, Mihajlovic, Favalli, S.Conceiçăo (59' Stankovic), Mancini (85' F.Couto), Almeyda, Nedved, Salas, Vieri