Difficult start but then plain sailing for Lazio

Dag Jenkins
Feb 25, 2024
5 min read

Season 1995-96

Game 23, Serie A

Sunday, February 25, 1996

Stadio Euganeo, Padua

Padova-Lazio 1-3

Padova begin better but after a missed penalty and red card are swept away by the Biancocelesti

In Serie A Lazio were currently 5th on 36 points. The Biancocelesti had won 10 (including Juventus 4-0, Sampdoria 6-3, Atalanta 5-1, Cagliari 4-0, Fiorentina 4-0), drawn 6 (including derby, Inter and Milan away, all 0-0) and lost 6. Their most recent game was a 1-0 triumph in the derby.

Padova were currently in 15th position, with Torino on 21 points (3 points from safety-Piacenza on 24). They had won 6 (including Inter 2-1 and Napoli 4-2 at home), drawn 3 and lost 13 (including Lazio 0-2 and 7 out of first 9). So, after a difficult start they had improved and still had hopes of survival (at Christmas they were bottom and in the last ten games they had won 5, drawn 1 and lost 4)

Lazio however were favourites today against relegation candidates Padova and were also still riding the waves of enthusiasm following the derby win.

The match

A foggy day in Veneto gathered about 15,000 spectators at the small Euganeo ground.

Padova were without full-back Antonio Sconziano while Lazio were missing defenders Alessandro Nesta and Cristiano Bergodi plus forward Alen Boksic.

The hosts started well and after six minutes were awarded a penalty. Michel Kreek entered the area on the left after a give and go and tried to get around Luca Marchegiani who pulled him down. It was taken by Damiano Longhi but Marchegiani sprung to his left and parried behind for a corner. The midfielder from Romagna and official penalty taker had possibly been put off by a teammate trying to get Nicola Amoruso to take the spot kick.

A few minutes later Goran Vlaovic went past the keeper on the right but his shot missed the open goal target albeit from an angle.

Lazio first threat came on a Roberto Rambaudi-Beppe Signori combination but the striker's low shot was saved well by Adriano Bonaiuti.

The Patavini insisted and had a shot by Andrea Cuicchi saved by Marchegiani with his foot and a Vlaovic effort which whistled past the top right-hand corner.

Padova were on top but in the 34th minute Lazio scored. Rambaudi tried a shot from the edge of the box but it was walled and ricocheted up into the middle of the box where Signori undisturbed let it fall and cleverly volleyed it over the keeper with the outside of his foot. A fortuitous build up but well taken goal, 0-1.

Lazio now had more space and Carmine Nunziata committed two bookable fouls on Signori within a few minutes and after the second in the 42nd minute he was sent for an early shower.

Lazio could have doubled their lead before half time but Rambaudi was denied by Bonaiuti and Signori pulled his shot wide. Padova were still alive especially with Vlaovic but his deflected shot spun wide of the right post. Half time Padova 0 Lazio 1.

Until the goal Lazio had been second best but now against ten men the game looked to be downhill.

There were no changes for the second period.

Lazio could have scored immediately but Signori, set up by a Gigi Casiraghi header, uncharacteristically mishit a left footed volley in front of goal.

Padova still believed they could get something out of the game and Amoruso had a good chance when Marchegiani mistimed his catch but the Apulian striker's header went wide.

Casiraghi after a one-two with Aron Winter then presented himself in front of Bonaiuti on the left but the keeper narrowed the angle and saved.

Still Padova responded as Vlaovic turned well in the area and shot but Marchegiani parried.

Lazio then went the closest yet to closing the game. Signori's low through ball teed up Casiraghi one-on-one with the keeper but his low effort trickled agonisingly wide of the right post.

A few minutes later however, put through by Rambaudi, the big Lombard striker went around the keeper and from and approaching the right by-line lunged forward and slid the ball into the empty goal, 66th minute and 0-2.

The goal had been coming for a while on the counterattack and now the game seemed done and dusted for Lazio.

In the 75th minute the hosts threw caution to the wind and put on attacking midfielder Stefano Fiore for defender Maurizio Coppola.

Lazio were now in complete control and had several more chances. Diego Fuser had a low long-range effort saved, Rambaudi too forced the keeper into a superb block onto the crossbar, Signori fired high and wide from a very favourable position and the blonde striker then had another effort whistle past the left post.

In the 83rd minute, with the game practically won, Lazio made two substitutions: on came Dario Marcolin and Marco Piovanelli and off went Roberto Di Matteo and Winter.

A minute later Lazio scored again. In the 84th minute a good team move was finished off by Fuser with a crisp low shot to the keepers left, 0-3.

The winner was no longer in doubt but Vlaovic was determined to get his name on the scoresheet. He tried again but after a good run was denied by Marchegiani who came off his line and deflected the Croat's shot.

The Padovani wanted a consolation goal and got one in the last minute. Dutchman Kreek hit the crossbar with a lovely scissor kick from just outside the area and on the rebound Vlaovic was deemed to have been pulled down in the air. A bit generously the referee awarded a penalty which Amoruso put away perfectly in the bottom left hand corner, 1-3.

There was still time for a little more drama as in the second minute of added time Lazio too were reduced to ten men. José Antonio Chamot chested a high ball down in his own half but was slow in clearing it and was anticipated by Amoruso who he then clumsily hacked down. A last man foul and the Argentine was off.

There was no more time however, and Lazio brought home a precious away win.

A game of two halves as they say. Padova should have been in front in the first half considering the missed penalty and other chances. In the second with the extra man Lazio could have scored five or six.

A good afternoon for Lazio who gave continuity to their results, 4 wins and a draw in the last five games including the derby triumph.

Lazio were now joint 4th with Juventus on 39 points.

Padova were still joint 15th with Torino on 21 points with the same three-point negative margin from safety. Things had improved for Lazio and stayed the same for Padova but with one less game to play.

Who played for Padova

Bonaiuti, Coppola (75' Fiore), Rosa, Giampietro, Cuicchi, Gabrieli, Longhi, Nunziata, Kreek, Amoruso, Vlaovic

Substitutes: Dal Bianco, Ossari, Ciocci, Van Utrecht

Manager: Sandreani

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Gottardi, Favalli, Di Matteo (83' Marcolin), Negro, Chamot, Rambaudi, Fuser, Casiraghi, Winter (83' Piovanelli), Signori