Lazio start cup chase

Dag Jenkins
Dec 3, 2023
3 min read

Season 2003-04

Coppa Italia, Round of 16, First Leg

Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Stadio Alberto Braglia, Modena

Modena-Lazio 0-2

With a 2-0 away win the Biancocelesti virtually book last 16 place

So far, it had been a mixed bag in Serie A. Lazio had played 11 games, winning 6 (Lecce, Sampdoria, Chievo, Bologna, Udinese and Perugia), drawing 1 (Empoli) and losing 4 (Parma, Milan, the derby to two late goals and most recently 0-3 at Siena). Lazio were therefore on 19 points and were in 6th position.

In today's competition, the Coppa Italia, this was Lazio's debut, a last 16 first leg away at Modena.

To get to today's last 16 tie Modena had eliminated Sambenedettese 3-2 on aggregate.

A difficult game for Lazio today but, considering it was a home and away tie, Lazio were expected to qualify.

The match

A sparse crowd of about 3,000 turned up on a humid December evening. It had rained over the previous days so the pitch was heavy.

Lazio fielded a strong side, of the league regulars only goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi, defenders Giuseppe Favalli and Jaap Stam were missing.

Modena on the other hand rested defender Jacopo Balestri, midfielder Oscar Milanetto plus forward Nicola Amoruso. They also had Diomansy Kamara on the bench.

Modena started well and threatened on the break. They had no major chances but kept Lazio worried. Fabio Vignaroli had a decent effort and in the 23rd minute Carlo Taldo had a header go wide.

Just before the half hour mark Lazio stirred and had two chances. Simone Inzaghi crossed and Dejan Stankovic hit the crossbar with a header and then Demetrio Albertini had a good shot saved by Adriano Zancopè.

Modena then had a penalty appeal when a sturdy Luciano Zauri tackle brought down Taldo but the referee remembered this was a physical contact sport and saw nothing in it.

Lazio then stepped up a gear. It was Stankovic who led the charge. First, he had another header go just wide and then he teed up Inzaghi who beat the offside trap and slotted the ball between the keeper and the post, 0-1.

Stankovic was on fire and he almost doubled the score in the 44th minute when he tried his luck from about 50 metres out but Zancopè produced an acrobatic save to deny the Serb.

In the second half Modena gradually disappeared from the contest and Lazio dominated.

In the 47th minute Claudio Lopez shaved the post set up by Inzaghi. The Argentine went off soon after, replaced by Giuliano Giannichedda.

In the 56th minute the hosts made their first change bringing on Roberto Cevoli for Nicola Campedelli.

In the 65th minute Lazio practically closed the game. Inzaghi again was the assist man and Roberto Muzzi blasted a right foot past Zancopè, 0-2.

Both sides then made substitutions, Modena put on Diomansy Kamara for Massimo Scoponi and Lazio, Alfonso Delgado for Muzzi.

In the 71st minute Stankovic again teed up Inzaghi but after a good first touch the Emiliano striker missed the target. He went off shortly after and was replaced by Sergio Conceição.

In the last ten minutes the Canaries could have pulled a goal back, to at least give themselves some hope for the return match. Riccardo Allegretti's freekick took a deflection off the wall and was not far off goal, Nicola Corrent shaved the post and then Cevoli headed just over the bar.

There was more bad news for Modena as Kamara went off injured in the 87th minute and on came Antonio Marasco.

A good cup win for Lazio against Serie A opposition. Lazio showed they were interested in the competition both by the starting eleven and by the performance. The return leg in Rome in two weeks’ time, bar a major collapse, should almost be a formality.

Who played for Modena

Zancopè, Campedelli (56' Cevoli), Pivotto, Pavan, Ungari, Ponzo, Scoponi (68' Kamara, 87' Marasco), Allegretti, Corrent, Vignaroli, Taldo

Substitutes: Ballotta, Vado, Bernardi, Del Sole

Manager: Malesani

Who played for Lazio

Sereni, Oddo, Mihajlovic, F.Couto, Zauri, Fiore, Albertini, Stankovic, Muzzi (68' Delgado), S.Inzaghi (79' Conceição), Lopez (54' Giannichedda)