Dejan shines in Dublin
- Dag Jenkins
- Aug 1, 2023
- 3 min read
Pre Season Friendly, Carlsberg Trophy
Saturday, August 1 1998
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Lazio St Patrick's Athletic 4-1
New Serb signing lights up afternoon as Lazio ease past Irish champions
Today's game was part of Lazio's pre-season training and was officially part of the Carlsberg trophy.
Only a day earlier Lazio had played Leeds United in Dublin and lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw. They therefore missed out on a clash with Liverpool in the final, instead they played St Patrick's Athletic for 3rd and 4th places.
The Biancocelesti's main priority was to be match fit for the Supercoppa final against Juventus on August 29. Serie A would then start on September 13.
Today's opposition were Irish Champions. St Patricks Athletic had just won their 6th league title. The club founded in 1929 had also won 2 Irish Cups and played their home games at Richmond Park which holds 5,340 spectators.
Today's venue was the more grand Lansdowne Road stadium which also hosted the Republic of Ireland football games and Ireland rugby games (the only sport where the Eire and Northern Ireland play together).
Lazio were favourites but the SuperSaints had given Liverpool a good game a day earlier.
The match
A crowd of 20,000 showed up at Lansdowne Road (famous for the train line passing under the West Stand to the adjacent station).
Lazio were missing defenders Alessandro Nesta, Fernando Couto and Beppe Pancaro, midfielders Sergio Conceição and Matías Almeyda plus forwards Alen Boksic and Marcelo Salas (mainly players who had taken part in the 1998 World Cup).
Lazio made a few changes from the previous day, goalkeeper Marco Ballotta came in for Luca Marchegiani, midfielder Dario Marcolin started and youngster Rosario Aquino replaced Roberto Mancini.
Lazio made their superior level count after only nine minutes. Ivan de la Peña set up Dejan Stankovic who from just inside the box beat Wood with a left-footed strike, 1-0.
Lazio had complete control, played at a decent pace and easily found shooting possibilities.
In the 17th minute Lazio got their second. Stankovic fed Paolo Negro who crossed for Pavel Nedved and the Czech scored with his right foot, 2-0.
Lazio then slowed down but still controlled the tempo and reached halftime in cruise mode.
Both sides made several changes for the second half. For Lazio Stefano Lombardi, Guerino Gottardi, Giorgio Venturin and Alessandro Iannuzzi came on for Beppe Favalli, Roberto Rambaudi, Marcolin and Aquino.
Lazio continued to dominate and in the 51st minute made it three. Stankovic was involved again as he beat four opponents and fed Gottardi whose low cross was finished off by Iannuzzi, 3-0.
In the 59th minute Stankovic was replaced by Roberto Baronio. The Serb had an excellent game and showed he already a first XI candidate.
In the same minute the Pat's pulled one back when big Gilzean rose up and headed past Marco Ballotta, 3-1.
The three goal cushion was restored in the 66th minute. Iannuzzi tried his luck, the keeper could not hold onto the ball and in came Venturin who tapped the ball in, 4-1.
In the last quarter De la Peña took centre stage keeping ball possession and several times even going for solo efforts to score.
A good training game for Lazio. The main stars were still missing but the team especially in the first half had played with fluidity, pace and precision. Positive signs came from Stankovic and De la Peña who had been the stand out players.
In the final Liverpool then beat Leeds United 2-0 (Berger, Owen).
Who played for Lazio
Ballotta, Negro, G.Lopez, Mihajlovic, Favalli (46' Lombardi), Rambaudi (46' Gottardi), Stankovic (59' Baronio), Marcolin (46' Venturin), De la Peña, Nedved, Aquino (46' Iannuzzi)
Substitutes: Marchegiani, Domizzi
Manager: Eriksson
Who played for St Patrick's Athletic
Wood (71' McKenna), Clarke, Lynch, Hankins, Doyle, Deverenx (46' Gilzean), Osam (46' Crolly), Russell, Gormley (46' Lone), Braithwaite (85' O' Connor), Molloy
Substitutes: Mc Guiness, Byrne
Manager: Dolan
Referee: Perry
Goals: 9' Stankovic, 17' Nedved, 51' Iannuzzi, 59' Gilzean, 66' Venturin
Sources
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