False start

Simon Basten
Aug 25, 2022
2 min read

Season 2001-02

Game 1, Serie A

Sunday, August 26, 2001

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Piacenza 1-1

Bad draw at the Olimpico, but Cragnotti signs Jaap Stam

The season so far

In August Lazio had a Champions League playoff with FC Copenhagen. The first leg should have been a warning sign as Lazio, despite being dominant for most of the match, had thrown away the victory with a penalty and an Angelo Peruzzi mistake. However, the return leg had put everything in place and Lazio went through, even though they were not playing particularly well.

The latest news was the arrival of Jaap Stam from Manchester United. Sergio Cragnotti later said that the plan was to replace Alessandro Nesta with Stam but he could not get the right asking price and was forced to wait until the following season.

Today was the first game of Serie A against Piacenza.

The match: Sunday, August 26, 2001, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

In the third minute a great free kick from Claudio Lopez shaved the post. In the 12^th a long range Diego Simeone shot was parried into corner by the keeper. There was not much else to add for the first half. Lazio were slow, Gaizka Mendieta obviously out of form, the only sparks came from Claudio Lopez. In the final minutes Hernan Crespo to the Spaniard who tried a shot well saved by Matteo Guardalben.

The Biancocelesti were a little bit better in the second half and scored in the 48^th minute. Peruzzi’s big hoof towards the centre of the pitch was met by Claudio Lopez who advanced a few meters then tried a volley from thirty metres surprising Guardalben. A magnificent goal, his first in Serie A.

Piacenza however were certainly not beaten and in the 61^st minute they equalised. Corner taken by Sergio Volpi, Alessandro Lucarelli headed the ball towards the goal but it was saved on the line by Lucas Castroman. Filippo Cristante on the far right of the box passed to Francelino Matuzalem, great shot, 1-1.

Dino Zoff made two substitutions in the 63^rd minute: in came Simone Inzaghi and César for Claudio Lopez and Stefano Fiore. Whatever flicker of light there had been so far in Lazio’s game, at this point definitely petered out and Piacenza almost went ahead with Dario Hubner, but that would have been too much.

Biancocelesti with a lot of problems.

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Pancaro, Nesta, Colonnese, Favalli, Castroman, Mendieta, Simeone (82’ Stankovic), Fiore (63’ César), Crespo, Claudio Lopez (63’ Inzaghi)

Substitutes: Marchegiani, Ola, Giannichedda, Poborsky

Manager: Zoff

Who played for Piacenza

Guardalben, Cristante, Lamacchi, Lucarelli, Tosto (81' Cardone), Gautieri, Matuzalem, Volpi, Di Francesco (55' Ambrosetti), Hubner, Poggi (74' Rastelli)

Substitutes: Orlandoni, Maltagliati, Miceli, Amauri

Manager: Novellino

Referee: Bolognino

Goals: 48’ Claudio Lopez, 61’ Matuzalem