Hernanes and Klose in different league

Dag Jenkins
Aug 23, 2022
3 min read

Season 2012-13

Europa League Playoff, First Leg

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Ljudski Vrt, Maribor

Mura 05-Lazio 0-2

Goals by the Brazilian and the German give Lazio reassuring advantage

Today was the Europa League playoff to get into the group stage. The return game would be in a week's time in Rome.

Nogometna Društvo Mura 05 known as Mura 05 were a club from Slovenia founded in 2005. They were from the town of Murska Sobota in the north-east of the country. In 2011-12 the "Čarno-bejli" (Black and Whites) had finished 3rd in the Slovenian league the 1.SNL.

This season manager was newly appointed Oliver Bogatinov.

On paper not a difficult match for Lazio today but European games were often full of surprises.

The match

The game was played in Maribor, 51 kilometres from Murska Sobota, with a 9 pm kick-off. There were about 5,000 spectators.

Lazio were missing defender Stefan Radu plus midfielders Álvaro González and Ederson.

The Slovenians initially made it difficult for the Romans. They played with ten men near their own area with only Fajic up front. Lazio had total control of possession but in the first 25 minutes never shot on target.

Lazio had some opportunities however; in the 6th minute Antonio Candreva fired an easy chance over the bar, in the 17th a Miro Klose header and in the 27th a Stefano Mauri volley both went wide.

Just after the half hour it was in fact the Slovenians who went close. Rok Buzeti surged forward and put a through ball which was cleverly dummied by a teammate and reached Mate Eterovic who hit it first time but his effort shaved the post with Federico Marchetti rooted.

The scare shook Lazio who scored a minute later. A wonderful long range left-footed Hernanes strike beat Filip Drakovic, 0-1.

The second half was more of a formality as Lazio controlled but now had the comfort of the one goal lead.

Klose was unable to take advantage of Drakovic howler but in the 59th minute the "Fisher King" struck. Abdoulay Konko crossed from the right and the German striker displayed his speciality with an impressive leap and header into the far corner, 0-2.

The substitutions then started. Hernanes was the first to take some rest and on came Senad Lulic.

The game had little more to say as Lazio administered their two-goal cushion.

Both sides however could have scored with about ten minutes to go. First Marchetti had to rush off his line to save from Fajic and then Klose freed himself for a shot with a dazzling dribbling movement but he hit it over the bar. The former Bayern Munich forward then went off in the 83rd minute and Sergio Floccari came on. Serie A would start in only three days time, away to Atalanta.

A good result for Lazio. Not a spectacular showing but at this point of the season one could be patient and wait for more exciting displays. Lazio's best players Hernanes and Klose were enough for now.

Lazio would receive the Muraši in a week's time with a solid advantage.

Who played for Mura

Drakovic, Buzeti, Marusko, Travner, Kramar (62' Sres), Janza, Bohar (86' Majer), Eterovic (78' Kouter), Horvat, Vas, Fajic

Substitutes: Cipot, Kozar, Gruskovnjak, Barbic

Manager: Bogatinov

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Konko, Biava, Dias, Cavanda, Onazi, Ledesma, Hernanes (60' Lulic), Mauri (71' Zarate), Klose (83' Floccari), Candreva