Sosa transforms Lazio
- Dag Jenkins
- Mar 15, 2024
- 4 min read
Game 25, Serie A
Sunday, March 15, 1992
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio-Verona 2-0
After a dull first half the Uruguayan comes on and leads Lazio to a 2-0 win
So far Lazio had played 24 league games and were joint 10th with Atalanta. They had won 7 (including Verona 2-0 away), drawn 10 (including both derbies, Milan and Juventus, all 1-1) and lost 7, so had 24 points. A similar pattern to the previous campaign. A week earlier Lazio had lost 0-1 away to Genoa.
Lazio had a good opportunity today to put any remaining relegation worries behind them. It was also the first game with new owner Sergio Cragnotti officially in charge.
The match
An overcast day in the capital and about 30,000 spectators in the stands.
Lazio had no absences but Rubén Sosa on the bench after a slight injury a week earlier. Verona were without midfielders Dragan Stojković and Robert Prytz.
Before the kick off the former manager Eugenio Fascetti, hero of the -9 season and 1988 promotion to Serie A, received a warm welcome under the Curva Nord.
The first half was a tedious affair. Verona played with eleven players defending, a rigid "catenaccio" without even any counterattacks. Lazio however were timid, lacking ideas and clumsy in midfield. The result was an awful first 45 minutes with Verona keeper Attilio Gregori only having to make one save diving low to anticipate Karl-Heinz Riedle while Valerio Fiori was undisturbed apart from a lame header by Celeste Pin. Lazio's only other chance was a spectacular and powerful Giovanni Stroppa volley but it was off target. Half time Lazio 0 Verona 0.
Lazio were whistled off and the only chants were in favour of former manager Fascetti.
For the second half the Scaligeri brought on midfielder Paolo Piubelli for Marino Magrin.
Thomas Doll went on a good run and entered the left side of the area but his low shot was blocked by Gregori.
The real game changer came in the 52nd minute when Uruguayan striker Rubén Sosa came back from injury and replaced a disappointing Maurizio Neri.
Lazio’s speed and conviction improved immediately and five minutes later the Biancocelesti took the lead. Sosa tried a shot from outside the box which took a deflection off Luca Pellegrini and beat Gregori whose view was also obstructed by several defenders. Lazio 1 Verona 0.
A goal helped by a dose of luck but created by a player who had injected new energy into the Romans.
Lazio then relied on ball possession to maintain the lead. This was favoured by the visitors' complete lack of ambition. In the 67th minute the Gialloblu tried putting on a more attacking player, Scudetto hero Piero Fanna, for former Lazio midfielder Andrea Icardi.
Not much changed and Lazio were never threatened and were almost forced to go forward due to Verona's submissive attitude.
In the 71st minute Sosa tried again from the edge of the area but this time with his weaker right foot and Gregori saved low.
Verona then had a shot at goal but Serena's long distance, low drive was well saved by Fiori.
In the 83rd minute Lazio made a second change, taking off Thomas Doll and bringing on Stefano Melchiori.
Sosa then again threatened with a blistering free kick just over the bar. A few minutes later Giovanni Stroppa latched onto a perfect Sosa low cross from the left but challenged by Ernesto Calisti put the ball wide from close range.
Lazio finally put Verona out of their misery in the 89th minute. It was Stroppa who got the goal again set up by Sosa. The Uruguayan put a lovely through ball to the Italian who went around the keeper and hit the post but was the quickest to the rebound and made sure it went in. Lazio 2 Verona 0.
A poor-quality game changed by a player of superior level, Rubén Sosa.
Lazio did the minimum necessary against a negative and toothless Verona.
An important two points for Lazio however who moved up to joint 9th with Genoa with 26 points and now with a reassuring nine-point advantage on the B zone and only three off the European slots.
Verona were in deep trouble. The Gialloblu were now joint 15th with Bari on 17 points. The table read Cremonese 13, Ascoli 13, Bari 17, Verona 17, Cagliari 18, with four going down.
Who played for Lazio
Fiori, Corino, Sergio, G. Pin, Gregucci, Soldà, Bacci, Doll (83' Melchiori), Riedle, Stroppa, Neri (52' Sosa)
Manager: Zoff
Who played for Verona
Gregori, Calisti, Polonia, Rossi, C. Pin, L. Pellegrini, D. Pellegrini, Icardi (67' Fanna), Serena, Magrin (46' Piubelli), Raducioiu
Substitutes: Zaninelli, Lunini, Renica
Manager: Fascetti
Referee: Amendolia
Goals: 57' L. Pellegrini (og), 89' Stroppa
Sources
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