López livens up Lazio for comeback win
- Dag Jenkins
- Apr 19, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: May 3
Game 29, Serie A
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio-Piacenza 2-1
One zero down at half time the Argentine's energy and goals by Inzaghi and Corradi keep Lazio on course for Champions League.
The season had started well for Lazio. After the first round of fixtures in mid-January the Biancocelesti were 3rd. In 17 games they had won 10 (7 away, including Juventus 2-1), drawn 6 (including derby 2-2) and lost 1 (Chievo 2-3 at home). Lazio had 36 points and were in a healthy 3rd place only 3 points behind leaders Milan.
Since then they had slowed down with too many draws (7, including derby 1-1), only 2 wins and 2 defeats. Lazio were currently in 4th place but now 12 points from leaders Juventus.
A match today that Lazio were expected to and had to win to keep up their Champions League hopes. Piacenza with 6 games to go and 7 points to catch up had few hopes of survival but it was still possible.
The match
A warm and sunny Saturday afternoon saw just under 35,000 in attendance.
Lazio were without goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi, defenders Jaap Stam, Beppe Pancaro and midfielder Lucas Castromán.
Piacenza were missing goalkeeper Matteo Guardalben, defenders Vittorio Tosto and Gianluca Lamacchi plus forward Dario Hübner.
Lazio's attacking duo Bernardo Corradi and Simone Inzaghi had only played 96 minutes together this season and Lazio had great difficulty creating chances.
Piacenza defended for long periods but were rarely rattled by Lazio's attacks. One exception was when Inzaghi set up Dejan Stankovic but the Serb managed to hit it straight at the keeper from an inviting position.
That was about all the Biancocelesti managed to muster in the first 45 minutes. To make matters worse the visitors scored just before the break on a rare counterattack. In the 45th minute Eusebio Di Francesco went down the right to the by-line and crossed into the middle where Ciro Di Cesare scored from close range. Lazio' s defence left wanting especially Fernando Couto and Beppe Favalli and Lazio 0 Piacenza 1.
A surprise score line and against the run of play but Lazio had created too little to feel hard done by.
In the second half Lazio came back on with a more energetic approach. The real game changers however were the substitutions. In the 57th minute Claudio López came on for Stefano Fiore and in the 59th Fabio Liverani for Giuliano Giannichedda. In Lopez Lazio suddenly had more speed and in Liverani more inventiveness.
Piacenza responded by taking off midfielder Enzo Maresca and putting on Bogdan Pătrașcu.
Mancini’s decisions were rewarded immediately. In the 60th minute Claudio López sent an excellent through ball to Inzaghi who fired a mid-height shot which hit the near post and then went in. Lazio 1 Piacenza 1.
The Argentine "Piojo" (Flea) then teed up Stankovic who blasted a shot which came back off the crossbar.
Lazio were now attacking full force and another goal came with a quarter of an hour remaining. In the 74th minute Liverani sent Massimo Oddo down the right, the full back crossed, Inzaghi got a touch, Paolo Orlandoni saved but the ball fell loose to Corradi who had no problem scoring from close range. Lazio 2 Piacenza 1.
Piacenza, full of midfielders, tried to remedy by putting on more attacking minded Claudio Ferrarese for defender Matteo Abbate in the 80th minute and forward Francesco Zerbini for midfielder Marco Marchionni in the 85th but the Emiliani were unable to change their defensive game plan.
Lazio took precautions by taking off man of the match Inzaghi for midfielder Nikola Lazetić in the 81st minute.
Lazio managed to control the game in the last stages and bring home an unexpectedly difficult but important win. The key had been López who had brought more speed and sense of urgency to Lazio's moves.
Lazio were still 4th, on 52 points. The Biancocelesti maintained the +4 on 5th placed Parma (Torino 1-0 at home) but were now only -3 from 3rd placed Milan (surprise 0-1 home defeat to Empoli).
Piacenza's situation had not changed (all the others had lost too) but there was now one game less to play and survival looking more and more unlikely.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Oddo, F.Couto, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Fiore (57' C. López), Giannichedda (59' Liverani), Stankovic, Cesar, Corradi, S.Inzaghi (81' Lazetic)
Manager: Mancini
Who played for Piacenza
Orlandoni, Campagnaro, Mangone, Abbate (80' Ferrarese), Cristante, Gurenko, Maresca (59' Pătraşcu), Baiocco, Di Francesco, Marchionni (85' Zerbini), De Cesare
Substitutes: Franzone, Ronaldi, Cois, Obolo
Manager: Cagni
Referee: Dondarini
Goals: 45' De Cesare, 60' S.Inzaghi, 74' Corradi
Sources
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