Di Canio does it again

Updated: Jan 5

Season 2004-05

Game 17, Serie A

Thursday, January 6, 2005

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Roma 3-1

Di Canio scores again against Roma 16 years later and contributes to a thrashing.

The beginning of the season was problematic. Lazio were clearly in difficulty: badly organized, no game plan, problems between Domenico Caso and Paolo Di Canio and poor quality of some of the players. Lazio immediately lost the Super Coppa final against Milan, but they did mange to pass the UEFA Cup playoff against Metalurh Donetsk and reach the group stage, only to fail without winning a game. In Serie A there were four wins, but 5 draws and 7 lost matches meaning that Caso was possibly not the right manager to keep Lazio in Serie A.

So, just before Christmas, Lotito called another former player, Giuseppe Papadopulo, to manage Lazio. He was seen as more apt to guide the Biancocelesti to safety. The task was immediately uphill since the next game of the season was the derby. Lazio were missing defenders Sebastiano Siviglia and Fernando Couto so had to adapt Giuliano Giannichedda in defence and partner him with Leonardo Talamonti.

The match

Roma were clear favourites, but Lazio started really well and had three chances: Ivan Pelizzoli dropped the ball but was quick enough to grab it again from Tommaso Rocchi’s feet; a Cesar shot was well saved again by the Roma goalkeeper and a perfect Di Canio cross could have allowed Rocchi to score but the Lazio forward was anticipated by Christian Panucci.

And then Di Canio scored. In the 29th minute, Fabio Liverani’s pass opened up the Roma defence, in went Di Canio who on the volley made it 1-0 for Lazio under the Curva Sud, just like he had done 16 years earlier. A humiliation for the Roma supporters.

Roma woke up from the absolute nothing produced thus far, but were not at all dangerous.

The Giallorossi seemed to be a little more determined in the second half but the Lazio defence kept any threats away from Angelo Peruzzi. But as the match went on Roma increased possession and increased pressure on the Lazio defence and managed to equalize. In the 68th minute Panucci’s crossed low from the right, Peruzzi had a second of indecision and was beaten to the ball by Antonio Cassano’s header.

Twenty minutes to go. How will Lazio react? Lazio reacted by scoring. Six minutes after Cassano’s goal, Massimo Oddo crossed the ball into the penalty box from Lazio’s right side, Di Canio back heeled the ball to Cesar on the left side. Perfect low volley and Lazio were back in front.

A few minutes later Rocchi had a chance to make it three but after dribbling the goalkeeper his shot went wide. Not to worry. In the 84th minute Liverani’s pass went over the Roma defence, Pellizoli, way too far out, tried to anticipate Rocchi who instead got there first, headed a lob over the goalkeeper and scored the easiest of goals. 3-1, game over.

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi; Oddo, Talamonti, Giannichedda, E. Filippini; A. Filippini, Liverani, Dabo (89’ Manfredini), Cesar; Rocchi (86’ Muzzi), Di Canio (90’ Inzaghi)