Lazio scrape into last 16

Dag Jenkins
Nov 1, 2023
4 min read

Season 1994-95

UEFA Cup 2nd Round, 2nd Leg

Tuesday, November 1, 1994

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Trelleborgs FF 1-0

Lazio leave it late to get the better of the Swedes with a Boksic 95th minute winner

In the UEFA Cup Lazio had knocked out Dinamo Minsk 4-1 on aggregate and then drew the first leg 0-0 away to Swedish Trelleborgs. This evening was the return game in Rome.

Trelleborgs Fotbollsförening from Southern Sweden had eliminated GI Gota (Faroe Islands) 4-2 in the preliminary and then shocked Blackburn Rovers 3-2 (1-0, 2-2).

In Sweden two weeks earlier, the game had been more difficult than expected for the Romans but Lazio were hoping to clinch the qualification without excessive difficulties tonight.

The match

Ticket owned by Dag Jenkins, photo by Dag Jenkins

A 40,000-crowd turned up at the Olimpico to cheer Lazio on in Europe.

Lazio were without long term injured Paul Gascoigne and also Gigi Casiraghi but otherwise fielded their best eleven.

Trelleborgs played with a similar line-up to the first leg with the exception of the introduction of Jonas Brorsson instead of Niklas Mattson.

As predictable Lazio started out on the attack. In the 2nd minute Aron Winter's effort hit the side netting not far from the post.

Lazio dominated possession and territory but physically the Swedes held their own and looked fresher than their Roman counterparts. Lazio had played Cremonese at home only two days earlier and seemed a bit sluggish. The Swedes were also logically very buttoned up with only Joachim Karlsson up front.

Lazio threatened again in the 22nd minute with a good move. Paolo Negro fed Roberto Rambaudi who crossed to Beppe Signori, the striker coordinated himself perfectly and hit a brilliant volley which whistled just outside the post.

The Biancocelesti pushed forward but often messed up the last crucial pass and on one occasion Signori was stopped by a dubious offside call.

In the 43rd minute Karlsson clashed with Lazio goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani and came out worse for wear. The visitors played the last few minutes in ten men but Lazio were unable to take advantage. Half time 0-0.

For the second half Karlsson came back on so the numerical balance was restored. Lazio meanwhile now placed Signori in the centre of attack and Alen Boksic moved to the left, with Roberto Rambaudi remaining on the right.

In the 50th minute Roberto clashed heads with the unfortunate Karksson who was forced off again for treatment. He came back on five minutes later but soon had to give in and was replaced by defender Niklas Mattson.

Lazio struggled to create clear cut chances. Their next opportunity only came in the 71st minute but Signori's ambitious acrobatic attempt from a Boksic cross was off target. Signori then swapped positions with Boksic again.

In the 73rd minute Signori teed up the Croat well but he was anticipated into corner at the last second.

In the 75th minute Signori tried to overdo it and instead of shooting immediately he tried to walk the ball in but when he eventually shot he was unbalanced and it went wide.

Boksic then fired over the bar from a favourable position and further shots by Rambaudi and Boksic again were off target.

Trelleborgs were fighting for their lives now and Lazio attacked frantically but the Swedish goal seemed jinxed.

In the 87th minute Boksic missed a sitter and in the 94th was denied by a superb save by Polish keeper Ryszard Jankowski.

Just as it seemed extra-time and then possibly penalties were on the cards Lazio scored. In the 95th minute Rambaudi set up Winter on the left inside the box, the Dutchman shot but the keeper saved with his foot, the ball reached Signori who could not make decent contact and then it spun back to Boksic who blasted it into the roof of the net, 1-0.

The Olimpico erupted. Lazio had finally managed to break the deadlock and with the winner qualified for the third round of a UEFA European competition for the first time in their history.

A tougher game than expected but all the sweeter with such a late winner. Trelleborgs had battled well over the two legs and made the tie a lot less one-sided than most had predicted.

Next up for Lazio would be Turkish club Trabzonspor. A trip to the Black Sea on November 22 and the return leg in Rome on December 6.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Negro, Favalli, Di Matteo, Cravero, Chamot, Rambaudi, Fuser, Boksic, Winter, Signori