Rollercoaster leaves disappointment

Dag Jenkins
Apr 19, 2024
4 min read

Season 2013-14

Game 34, Serie A

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Torino 3-3

An exciting game but full of errors gives each a point which does little for their respective European hopes

In Serie A Lazio lay in joint 7th position with Milan and Torino, on 48 points. The Biancocelesti had won 13 (including Inter 1-0), drawn 9 (including second derby 0-0) and lost 11 (including the first derby 0-2 and Torino 0-1). A week earlier Lazio had lost 2-4 in Naples. Lazio were in the battle for a Europa League qualification.

Toro had won 13 (including Lazio 1-0 and last 3), drawn 9 (including Milan home and away) and lost 11 (including both derbies 0-1).

Today was therefore an important game for both sides' objective to try and clinch European football for the following season.

The match

A poor crowd of about 15,000 for this 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon kick-off. The anti-Lotito sentiment still kept many fans away from the stadium. The day was cloudy but dry and the pitch was in good condition.

Lazio had to play without defenders Lorik Cana and André Dias, midfielder Álvaro Gonzalez plus forward Miroslav Klose.

Torino were missing midfielders Alexander Farnerud, Migjen Basha and Matteo Brighi plus forward Alessio Cerci.

Lazio risked falling behind immediately on friendly fire. In the 4th minute Luis Cavanda risked an own goal on a Matteo Darmian cross.

In the 9th minute Antonio Candreva had a good chance for Lazio but he was hypnotised by Daniele Padelli who saved.

In the 16th minute the ball burst following a Ciro Immobile shot walled by Diego Novaretti. Not to worry modern football could afford to have plenty more ready.

The game was open and played without any particular defensive caution.

In the 18th minute Kamil Glik headed just wide from a corner.

Lazio then seemed to speed up and had a period of pressure with a Stefano Mauri header just high, a Stefan Radu shot saved by Padelli and culminated in the 29th minute when Keita Balde toed his effort just wide.

In the 37th minute Toro went extremely close but Cesare Bovo's freekick hit the crossbar and flew over.

Lazio pushed again before halftime, first Padelli saved on a blistering Radu long range shot and then in the 42nd minute the Biancocelesti scored. A Lucas Biglia freekick onto the far post was headed back across goal by a Novaretti header and nodded in by Mauri, 1-0.

In the second half the game remained entertaining and in the 52nd minute the visitors equalised. Riccardo Meggiorini squared a ball back into the middle, the Lazio defence froze and Jasmin Kurtic was ready to hit a low strike to Etrit Berisha's right, 1-1.

Lazio were shaken and had a period of difficulty in which Torino had the upper hand in possession and territory but without threatening.

In the 61st minute the game came alive as Lazio were awarded a penalty for a foul by the keeper on Keita. Candreva took it and chipped a cool Panenka style spot kick past Padelli, 2-1.

Toro at this point took off their goal scorer and brought on Panagiotīs Tachtsidis.

It was an astute move as only two minutes after coming on the Greek midfielder scored. On an Omar El Kaddouri corner the Lazio defence was again doddery and the former Roma player hit a left-footed volley past Berisha and celebrated as if it were a derby, 2-2.

Six minutes later Lazio tried to increase their firing power by introducing Felipe Anderson and Helder Postiga for Cavanda and Mauri.

It was a bold move but in reality, it completely unbalanced the team as Torino took control of the midfield. Immobile in particular suddenly had more space and Novaretti was forced to spend a booking to stop him and then got another yellow seven minutes later for a foul on Darmian and was off.

In ten men in the 84th minute Reja took off Keita and put on Bruno Pereirinha.

Torino were rampant and Berisha had to deny Immobile three times in a few minutes. On his fourth attempt the future Lazio legend scored. In the 89th minute he hit a wonderful right-footed shot into the top right-hand corner, 2-3.

The visitors, one goal and a man up, took precautions and replaced El Kaddouri with former Lazio Alessandro Gazzi, a more defensive minded midfielder.

There seemed little hope for Lazio but in the 4th and last minute of added time they managed to equalise. Anderson tried an unlikely low shot which beat the offside trap and reached Candreva all alone in the box, the Roman controlled and beat Padelli, 3-3.

An exciting game but full of defensive mistakes. Both sides had regrets and the point was not particularly useful to either. Lazio had paid for defensive errors and hesitations plus some dubious tactical choices (Postiga was a ghost). Torino had the game in their hands but let it slip away.

Lazio were now joint 8th, on 49 points with Torino and Verona (the Gialloblu had won 2-1 away at Atalanta). The only consolation was gaining a point on 6th placed Parma who had lost 0-2 at home to Inter. Time however was running out to catch up on the European slots.

Who played for Lazio

Berisha, Biava, Novaretti, Radu, Cavanda (71' F. Anderson), Ledesma, Biglia, Lulic, Candreva, Mauri (71' H.Postiga), Keita (84' Pereirinha)