Missed opportunity but fair result

Dag Jenkins
Feb 1, 2023
5 min read

Season 1997-98

Game 18, Serie A

Sunday, February 1, 1998

Stadio San Paolo, Naples

Napoli Lazio 0-0

Two posts and a blatant denied penalty but overall Lazio disappoint and only take a point

Lazio were currently in 4th position, on 31 points. After 17 games, Lazio had won 9 (including Napoli 2-0 on debut and the derby 3-1 in ten men), drawn 4 (including Milan and Inter, both 1-1 away) and lost 3 (Empoli 0-1, Juventus 1-2 away and Atalanta 0-2 at home). The most recent result had been a 1-0 home win against Bologna, their 3rd in a row.

Napoli were currently bottom of the table on 6 points (already 10 from safety). They had only won 1 match (Empoli 2-1 at home), drawn 4 and lost 13 (including Roma 2-6, Bologna 1-5, Sampdoria 3-6 away and Parma 0-4 at home). They had only earned two points in the last 13 games.

Lazio were favourites today seeing Napoli's difficulties. The Partenopei had already lost 6 home games out of 8. Lazio however had only won once away (excluding the derby) so it would not be a formality for the Romans.

The match: Sunday, February 1, 1998, Stadio San Paolo, Naples

A crowd of just over 40,000 turned up in the Fuorigrotta area of Naples for this Sunday evening game.

Lazio were without midfielder Matias Almeyda and forward Alen Boksic.

Napoli were missing defender Bertrand Crasson and forward Claudio Bellucci. The new signing Stojak's debut was postponed for a bureaucratic delay.

After a tactical and even first fifteen minutes Lazio had the first chance of the game with Gigi Casiraghi but Giuseppe Taglialatela pulled off an acrobatic save on the Brianzolo's scissor kick.

In the 17th minute Napoli responded with a cutting low cross into the area by Francesco Turrini which Igor Protti could not quite domesticate and was anticipated by Alessandro Nesta into Luca Marchegiani's arms.

Napoli took courage, spurred on by the crowd and threatened again with headers by Aljoša Asanovic and then a long distance freekick by the Croat but Luca Marchegiani was safe.

On the half hour mark Casiraghi too had a decent header but Taglialatela was well positioned.

A minute later the hosts hit the woodwork. It was fortuitous as the ball ricocheted onto Protti's head by chance from a defender's clearance and then ended up on the crossbar.

Lazio suffered Napoli's energy and high press and relied on counterattacks. First Diego Fuser was off target and then in the 40th minute, following a Roberto Ayala mistake, Casiraghi was one-on-one with the keeper and with all the time in the world but his cross-goal shot came back off the post and went along the line but not in.

Asanovic then tested Marchegiani again with a left-footed strike from just inside the area and had a close-range header go over the bar while for Lazio Fuser had a curling effort off target.

There was still time for a Massimiliano Allegri effort from a good position but his effort was high. Halftime Napoli 0 Lazio 0.

The Partenopei went off applauded by their fans. Apparently, it was the best they had played all season. Lazio were certainly not at the top of their game, perhaps taken by surprise by the home side's vigour and running.

For the second half Lazio brought on Pavel Nedved and took off Roberto Rambaudi.

The second half saw Lazio more balanced in midfield and Napoli tired too so threatened less.

Casiraghi was Lazio's most active player as he forced Taglialatela into an early block.

In the 56th minute it was Casiraghi again who tried a bicycle kick and it was saved by Taglialatela. On the same move a few seconds later Casiraghi went for another bicycle kick but this time it was "saved" by midfielder Roberto Goretti who clumsily intercepted it with his hands. For the referee it was involuntary and the game went on.

Things got a bit nasty a few minutes later when Casiraghi was slow in retreating his foot on a low Taglialatela dive. The two almost came to blows but the most upset seemed to be Ayala who decided to carry out a personal vendetta on Lazio and committed a filthy foul on Roberto Mancini. The referee had been letting the game flow so continued in this mode even when things went over the top and took no disciplinary measures.

The game now was quite blocked with neither side finding any openings up front. There were very few shots at goal. In the 78th Napoli tried to stir things up a bit by putting on local young and talented midfielder Gennaro Scarlato for Asanovic.

In the 79th minute another Ayala mistake allowed Casiraghi a chance but his shot was weak and comfortably collected by Taglialatela. Casiraghi threatened again a few minutes later when the Neapolitan keeper dropped the ball in the crowded area but his shot went wide.

In the 86th minute Alessandro Nesta was forced off due to a previous head injury and Giovanni Lopez came on.

Casiraghi continued his pursuit of a goal but his low volley from a high Nedved cross was saved by Taglialatela.

The last chance to clinch all three points was also for the Romans. In the 91st minute Casiraghi ran onto a Diego Fuser pass and hit a first-time strike which the keeper touched lightly and it then hit the post.

That was the last excitement of the game. Final score: Napoli 0 Lazio 0.

Napoli had played better in the first half while Lazio had been more in control in the second. Two woodworks to one for Lazio and a clear penalty not awarded but the Biancocelesti had not played well as a team or imposed their superiority so could not feel overly hard done by.

A fair draw in the end even if not particularly useful to either team.

Lazio were still 4th but had been joined by Parma, on 32 points. Third placed Udinese had lost 0-1 in Florence so Lazio had further regrets as they could have caught up with a win.

Napoli were bottom on 7 points and still ten points from safety (Piacenza and Bologna on 17).

Who played for Napoli

Taglialatela, Baldini, Goretti, Ayala, Rossitto, Longo, Allegri, Altomare, Turrini, Asanovic (78' Scarlato), Protti

Substitutes: Di Fusco, Panarelli, Malafronte, Bruno

Manager: Galeone

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Pancaro, Nesta (86' G.Lopez), Negro, Chamot, Rambaudi (46' Nedved), Fuser, Venturin, Jugovic, Casiraghi, Mancini