Game 33, Serie A
Sunday June 18, 1989
Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Lazio Sampdoria 1-0
Lazio beat distracted Sampdoria to boost survival hopes
It was a hot summer day for the match in the stadium designed by Pier Luigi Nervi. Lazio were nervy too for this crucial last home game of the season. The Stadio Olimpico was being restyled for Italia '90 so Lazio had to start in the smaller Flaminio stadium across the river for the rest of the current and the next season.
The game kicked off at 5 in the afternoon, to at least avoid the worst of the heat. Sampdoria were without Pietro Vierchowod, Toninho Cerezo and Roberto Mancini while Lazio put out their strongest line-up with Gabriele Pin back in midfield.
Lazio showed from the word go that they had more desire and fire than the visitors.
Gustavo Dezotti had a good chance but blasted over the bar after a defensive blunder. Then Ruben Sosa went solo but his low shot went wide. Lazio pushed forward with defenders too looking for a breakthrough while Sampdoria seemed content to just defend. In the 25th minute they lost Angelo Gregucci through injury, replaced by Raimondo Marino, not that there had been much defending to do so far.
Around the half hour mark, Lazio turned up the pressure and increased their efforts. In the 35th minute Marino tried his luck from the distance, his shot was deflected off a defender, wrong footing Gianluca Pagliuca, but then floated the wrong side of the post.
In the 36th minute, in a scramble following a corner, Paolo Di Canio had a shot cleared off the line by a defender, the ball then spun up to Marino but his header was saved by Pagliuca.
A goal seemed on the cards and it came a minute later. In the 37th minute a long cross into the area was headed by Pin across to Dezotti who in front of goal turned a left footed volley past Pagliuca. Lazio 1 Sampdoria 0 and delirium in the small but compact Flaminio.
Before halftime Lazio almost doubled when a long pass by Ciro Muro put Sosa one-on-one against Pagliuca but his lob came back off the crossbar. Halftime Lazio 1 Sampdoria 0.
The second half started with Sampdoria slightly more positive but not dangerous. The main news came in the 52nd minute but it came from Turin via the radio where, to Lazio fans' horror, the Granata had taken the lead against the seemingly invincible and already champions Inter.
In the 63rd minute Sampdoria finally threatened but Valerio Fiori showed brilliant reflexes on a Munoz Victor bicycle kick heading for the top hand corner. In the 65th minute Lazio gave themselves extra protection by taking off forward Dezotti for midfielder Antonio Acerbis. Lazio from then on defended well while Sampdoria did not overexert themselves for an equaliser.
In the 74th minute more bad news came from Turin as Muller doubled Toro's lead. The only thing worthy of note in Rome was Marco Lanna's red card in the 90th minute for his second yellow.
Lazio controlled the last stages of the game and conquered two vital points for their survival hopes. Due to Torino's exploits it would all have to go down to the last away game in Ascoli. However things were looking better than they had a few hours earlier.
The updated table read; Como 22 (relegated), Pisa 22 (relegated), Pescara 26, Torino 27, Lazio 28, Ascoli 28, Verona 29, Bologna 29, Cesena 29.
Lazio would play Ascoli a week later and they both needed a point to survive … a match made in heaven?
Who played for lazio
Fiori, Monti, Beruatto, Pin, Gregucci (25' Marino), Piscedda, Dezotti (65' Acerbis), Muro, Di Canio, Sclosa, Sosa
Manager: Materazzi
Who played for Sampdoria
Pagliuca, Pellegrini III, Carboni, Pari, Lanna, Salsano, Victor, Bonomi, Vialli, Pradella (59' Breda), Dossena,
Substitutes: Bistazzoni, Affuso, Chiesa
Manager: Pezzotti
D.T: Boskov
Referee: Pezzella
Goal: 37' Dezotti
Sources
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