The Eagles fly towards Europe

Dag Jenkins
May 11, 2023
4 min read

Season 1996-97

Game 30, Serie A

Sunday, May 11, 1997

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Perugia 4-1

Lazio edge nearer a UEFA qualification with a 4-1 win and put Perugia in deep trouble

The Serie A campaign had started very badly with two defeats (Bologna 0-1 away and Udinese 0-1 at home). After that they were very inconsistent with 6 wins (including Milan 3-0), 5 draws (including the derby 0-0 and Inter 1-1 away) and 5 defeats. The last defeat to Bologna 1-2 at home on January 26 had cost Zeman his job and back came Dino Zoff.

Since Zoff's return the Biancocelesti had won 6, drawn 3 (including recent derby 1-1) and lost 2. Lazio were currently in joint 5th place with Bologna on 44 points, with 14 points on the relegation zone (before the change of manager Lazio had been joint 12th, with Udinese, and with only a five-point cushion on the drop zone) and in a UEFA Cup position. Things were looking better.

Perugia were struggling and were in 16th place on 28 points. The Biancorossi had won 7, drawn 7 and lost 15 (including Lazio 1-2). The safety area was two points higher up, Cagliari and Piacenza on 30. The Grifoni were desperate for points.

An interesting game today between two highly motivated teams. Lazio for Europe and Perugia to avoid the drop.

The match

A hot and sunny May afternoon brought about 35,000 to the Olimpico.

Lazio were missing defender Beppe Favalli who was suspended while derby hero Igor Protti was on the bench. Alessandro Nesta was back in the starting line-up after almost two months.

Perugia were without defender Marco Materazzi.

Lazio took the lead almost immediately. In the 7th minute José Antonio Chamot cut in from the left and teed up Beppe Signori with a good through ball, the blonde striker raced into the left side of the area and blasted a left foot in on the near post. Lazio 1 Perugia 0.

Lazio then relaxed a little too much perhaps also due to the spring heat and Perugia had a couple of chances to equalise. Milan Rapaic and Michel Kreek forced Luca Marchegiani into making two good saves.

In the 38th minute Nevio Scala made a tactical substitution. He had seen midfielder Kreek in difficulty in containing Lazio on the right, so he put on a defender Martino Traversa.

The substitution seemed a bit too conservative and in fact Perugia rarely threatened again.

Lazio did, with a Roberto Rambaudi bicycle kick just over the bar.

Just before halftime Lazio doubled their lead. From a corner Gigi Casiraghi headed forwards to Rambaudi who with his back to the goal headed over and past Luca Bucci. Halftime Lazio 2 Perugia 0.

Any chances of a Perugia comeback were blown away in the first six minutes of the second half. After three minutes Casiraghi scored with a powerful header and in the 51st minute the Brianzolo striker got his brace when he tapped in a perfect low Paolo Negro cross from the right. Lazio 4 Perugia 0.

The game was virtually already over. In the 56th minute both sides made a change. For Lazio, Guerino Gottardi came on for Rambaudi and for the visitors Norwegian Petter Rudi replaced Roberto Goretti.

The heat and the scoreline slowed the game down. Lazio were cruising and Perugia demoralised. In the 65th minute Lazio brought on Igor Protti for Signori and a minute later the Umbri took off Rapaic and threw on Fausto Pizzi.

In the 72nd minute things got even worse for the Grifoni. Carmine Gautieri fouled Pavel Nedved from behind and was given his marching orders.

Ten minutes from time Lazio made their final substitution bringing on Roberto Baronio for Nedved.

Lazio four nil up and with an extra man then got a bit too distracted and in the 86th minute allowed Perugia to pull a goal back when Pizzi scored from an easy position.

Lazio then had no difficulty switching on again and Casiraghi almost got his hat-trick before the referee blew for full-time. Lazio 4 Perugia 1.

A deserved win for Lazio who scored early, risked a little but then scored three goals in seven minutes between the last minute of the first half and the sixth of the second. The game from then on had little to say.

Lazio were now joint 4th with Bologna on 47 points, they had overtaken Sampdoria who had lost 1-2 at home to Inter. Lazio still had a two-point cushion on 7th place (top 6 into UEFA) but now on Udinese.

Perugia's situation was now desperate. The Grifoni were now 5 points from safety as Piacenza had beaten Atalanta 3-1 at home. Perugia were 17th on 28 points. The table read: Reggio Audace (Reggiana) 19, Verona 26, Perugia 28, Cagliari 30, Piacenza 33. With four relegations and only four games to go Perugia would need a minor miracle to stay up.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Negro, Nesta, Grandoni, Chamot, Rambaudi (56' Gottardi), Fuser, Venturin, Nedved (80' Baronio), Casiraghi, Signori (65' Protti)