Inzaghi leads another European masterclass

Simon Basten

Sep 20, 2023

3 min read

Season 2000-01

First Group Stage, Game 2, Champions League

Wednesday, September 20, 2000

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio AC Sparta Praha 3-0

Simone Inzaghi scored twice as Lazio followed up their opening-day victory in Donetsk with another commanding Champions League win, defeating Sparta Prague 3–0 at the Olimpico.

The first game of the season was however the Supercoppa and Lazio beat Inter at the Olimpico 4-3.

In the first Champions League match they had won away with Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0.

The match

Lazio continued their impressive start to the 2000-01 Champions League with a convincing 3–0 victory over Sparta Prague at the Stadio Olimpico. Sven-Göran Eriksson's side produced another assured European performance, combining attacking quality with defensive solidity to record their second consecutive victory without conceding.

The champions were without their two injured Argentine forwards, Claudio López and Hernán Crespo, but Eriksson could still call upon virtually his entire title-winning side. The absence of López was compensated for by the inclusion of Simone Inzaghi alongside Marcelo Salas, while Juan Sebastián Verón, Pavel Nedvěd, Diego Simeone and Dejan Stanković formed a formidable midfield.

Lazio made the stronger start and almost opened the scoring after eight minutes when Stanković unleashed a powerful effort from distance that flew narrowly wide. Sparta's principal threat came on the counterattack, with Michal Hornak forcing a save from Luca Marchegiani midway through the first half.

The visitors' danger did little to unsettle Lazio, however. Thomas Postulka was soon forced into action, producing an excellent save to deny Inzaghi before keeping out another dangerous effort following an exchange between Nedvěd and Salas.

The pressure finally told in the 35th minute. Nedvěd picked out Inzaghi, who took advantage of space inside the area and fired a superb diagonal right-footed shot beyond Postulka. The goalkeeper might have done better, but the finish was emphatic and gave Lazio the lead.

The goal was also significant individually for Inzaghi. It was his 11th goal in European competition for Lazio, all in the Champions League, moving him level for European goals with the club's legendary goalscorer Giorgio Chinaglia.

Sparta almost equalised before half-time when Josef Obajdin found space, but Marchegiani produced another important intervention to preserve Lazio's advantage.

The second half followed the same pattern. Lazio controlled possession and territory while Sparta struggled to create sustained pressure. The decisive second goal arrived in the 57th minute. Verón curled a superb free-kick into the penalty area and Simeone got the faintest of touches—or, according to the contemporary account, possibly none at all—as the ball evaded Postulka and found the net.

With Lazio two goals ahead, Salas came close to adding a third shortly afterwards. The Chilean rounded Postulka following another perfectly weighted pass from Verón, but his shot struck the outside of the net.

Sparta still had moments of danger. Jiri Jarosik came particularly close with a header, only for Marchegiani to produce another fine save and maintain Lazio's clean sheet.

The final goal arrived in the 70th minute and once again featured the outstanding Verón. The Argentine midfielder slipped a perfectly weighted pass through to Inzaghi, who controlled before firing a powerful right-footed shot into the top corner. Postulka had no chance.

The second goal of the evening took Inzaghi to 12 European goals for Lazio, moving him beyond Chinaglia in the European scoring rankings.

The final stages were played out comfortably by the home side. Eriksson made his substitutions, introducing Attilio Lombardo, Roberto Sensini and Francesco Colonnese, while Lazio's defence remained unbreached.

After their 3–0 victory away to Shakhtar Donetsk in the opening round, Lazio had now scored six goals in two Champions League matches without conceding. It was another demonstration of the depth and quality of the reigning Italian champions, with Inzaghi providing the goals, Verón the creativity and Marchegiani the safety at the other end.

For Lazio, Europe was already beginning to look very promising.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Pancaro, Nesta, Couto, Favalli (79' Colonnese), Stankovic, Veron, Simeone, Nedved (79' Sensini), Salas, S.Inzaghi (73' Lombardo)