Lazio still in the hunt

Dag Jenkins
Apr 9, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Apr 25

Season 1999-00

Game 29, Serie A

Sunday, April 9

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio -Perugia 1-0

A Lombardo winner keeps Lazio in Scudetto race

In Serie A this season Lazio were currently in 2nd place, 3 points behind leaders Juventus. Just two weeks earlier there had been a nine-point gap but with Juve's defeat against Milan, the same weekend Lazio beat Roma, and the consequent Lazio win in the direct clash in Turin had reduced the deficit and now the Biancocelesti were in striking distance. They had won 16, drawn 8 and lost 4. The match this afternoon was possibly a chance to catch the "Zebras" who were away to Bologna.

The match

A mild day with light clouds saw about 45,000 spectators at the Olimpico.

Lazio had Luca Marchegiani, Beppe Favalli, Matías Almeyda and Roberto Mancini unavailable. Perugia were without Giovanni Tedesco, Hidetoshi Nakata and Ibrahim Ba.

Lazio had to win and attacked. Perugia came down to Rome with a very defensive approach and it was clear from the start it would not be easy to break them down.

Lazio pushed forward but were too frenetic and lacked the required lucidity to make the last decisive pass or decision. The game was practically played in Perugia's half.

Lazio had three dangerous freekicks, two with Sinisa Mihajlovic and one with Juan Sebastian Veron but Andrea Mazzantini saved all three as he did with another threatening long range Veron effort.

In the 29th minute the Umbri ventured outside their half and almost scored. Marco Ballotta jumped out of time and the ball reached former Lazio, Massimiliano Esposito who went for a lob but as the ball was about to go in Mihajlovic headed it away from the line.

Then it was all Lazio again. The closest the Biancocelesti came was with Marcelo Salas who hit the post. The interval came with still no breakthrough, Lazio 0 Perugia 0.

After the break Alessandro Nesta did not reappear, victim of a muscular problem, replaced by Fernando Couto.

Fortunately for Lazio they broke the deadlock early in the second half. In the 48th minute Beppe Pancaro crossed from the left, Fabrizio Ravanelli headed and it came off Marco Materazzi and fell perfectly for Attilio Lombardo who fired it home near the far post. Lazio 1 Perugia 0.

Juventus were still being held to a goalless draw in Bologna so Lazio were temporarily only one point behind the Bianconeri.

Perugia despite trailing did not really change their game plan and Lazio were able to control the game without much problem.

In the 68th minute the visitors finally showed some endeavour by putting on midfielder Dmitrij Alenichev for defender Hilário. Lazio responded by replacing goal scorer Lombardo with a more heavy-weight midfielder Diego Simeone.

The game continued with Lazio mainly keeping possession and making sure they did not run any unnecessary risks. The fans had eyes on the game and ears on the Juventus score, still 0-0.

In the 78th minute Perugia put on a proper striker Alessandro Melli for talented but today subdued Milan Rapaic and Lazio protected themselves with a solid midfielder Sergio Conceição instead of forward Ravanelli.

It was only in the last ten minutes that the Griffins gave the Eagles anything to worry about albeit without creating any huge chances. In the 82nd minute they threw on former Roma midfielder Massimiliano Cappioli for more defensive Pierpaolo Bisoli.

Perugia finally had some pressure but only had one real opportunity when Melli got a threatening header in but it was walled by Simeone.

The good news was that Lazio managed to hold onto the one goal advantage and conquer three fundamental points, final score Lazio 1 Perugia 0.

The bad news was that in the 90th minute the news came through that Darko Kovačević had scored for Juventus in Bologna. The Bianconeri then got another in the 94th with an own goal.

The table therefore remained unchanged, Juventus still +3 on Lazio with five games to go. Next up Fiorentina vs Lazio and Inter vs Juventus.

Perugia meanwhile were still 9th on 36 points but now in the company of Reggina and Verona. The Perugini still had a comforting 8-point cushion on the last relegation slot (Torino on 28).

Who played for Lazio

Ballotta, Negro, Nesta (45' F. Couto), Mihajlovic, Pancaro, Lombardo (71' Simeone), Sensini, Veron, Nedved, Salas, Ravanelli (78' Conceição)