Boksic is ready, Lazio almost
- Lazio Stories
- Aug 18, 2023
- 3 min read
Pre Season Friendly
Saturday, August 19, 1995
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio San Lorenzo de Almagro 3-0
The Croat is on fire but Nesta limps off injured in win over El Ciclón
This evening was Lazio's 7th summer friendly and first at the Olimpico. The Biancocelesti had been on a Japanese tour with four games: Hokkaido Electric Power 8-1, Horusho University 21-0, Hokkaido University 5-0 and Jubilo Iwamaru 2-4. Back in Abruzzo in Italy they had beaten Il Gabbiano 4-0 before losing 0-5 to Ajax in Holland.
Serie A would start on August 27 at home to Piacenza, the Coppa Italia on August 30 away at Chievo Verona while Lazio’s UEFA campaign would beginning on September 12 at home to Omonia (Cyprus).
San Lorenzo de Almagro are one of "Los Cinco Grandes" of Argentinian football along with Boca Juniors, River Plate, Independiente and Racing Club. They are from Almagro, an area of Buenos Aires.
They had won 12 league titles and were reigning champions.
A tough test for Lazio tonight but a lot depended on the visitors approach, a paid Roman holiday or a competitive game?
The match
This friendly during the peak summer holiday period did not exactly bring the crowds in, about 10,000 spectators were present.
Lazio were without midfielders Roberto Rambaudi and Aron Winter.
It was immediately Lazio who took the initiative but the visitors soon made it clear with some tough tackles that they were taking it reasonably seriously. They were not helped however by being forced to make two changes within 35 minutes due to injuries; in the 16th minute Damian Manusevich went off for Andres Gaitan and in the 34th Oscar Ruggeri hobbled off and was replaced by Gustavo Quinteros.
Lazio were having difficulty creating clear chances but in the 37th minute got the breakthrough. Beppe Signori verticalised to Marco Piovanelli who teed up Alen Boksic, the Croat controlled the ball and let off a thundering right footed strike which gave Alves no chance, 1-0.
The Argentines were not merely passive sparring partners and Luca Marchegiani had to make a couple of decent saves to keep "Los Gauchos de Boedo" at bay.
For the second half Lazio put Alessandro Nesta on for Beppe Favalli but the Roman defender only played eight minutes before limping off with a muscular problem and was replaced by Roberto Cravero.
Two minutes later however, Lazio doubled the score. Signori, who had been slow and subdued, managed to put in a good cross which Boksic headed in for his brace, 2-0.
On the hour mark the visitors made three substitutions while five minutes later Lazio made two, Dario Marcolin for Roberto Di Matteo and Gigi Casiraghi for a far from match fit Signori.
In the 78th minute Lazio made it three. It was Piovanelli who found the net from close range, set up by man of the match Boksic, 3-0.
A good result for Lazio with some good news and some bad news. The positive news was the performance by Boksic who had been left out in some of the previous friendlies. Tonight he was back to his devastating self and by far the best player on the field. The negative news but predictable was that Lazio were still heavy legged while even worse was seeing Nesta go off injured.
A win for morale anyway after the 0-5 drubbing by Ajax in the previous game. Only a week now until things got serious and the league started.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Gottardi, Favalli (46' Nesta, 53' Cravero), Di Matteo (65' Marcolin), Negro, Chamot, M. Esposito, Fuser, Boksic, Piovanelli, Signori (65' Casiraghi)
Substitutes: Orsi
Manager: Zeman
Who played for San Lorenzo de Almagro
Alves, Arevalo, Manusevich (16' Gaitan), Escudero, Galetto, Ruggeri (34' Quinteros), Rivadero (60' Netto), Monserrat, Biaggio, Ortega, Sanchez (60' Rossi), Arbarello (60' Gonzales)
Substitutes: Angelucci, Grama
Manager: Viera
Referee: Nicchia
Goals: 37' Boksic, 55' Boksic, 78' Piovanelli
Sources
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