Battle of the Eagles ends in a draw

Season 2007-08

Game 17, Serie A

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Palermo Lazio 2-2

Despite being 2-0 down, Palermo missing a penalty and the Biancocelesti ending up in nine men, Lazio snatch a precious point

Sources Lazio Wiki

The fans thought Lazio had not improved the team and not taken advantage of the Champions League opportunity to strengthen the squad.

In Serie A, so far, the fans seemed to be being proved right. Lazio had played 16 games; won 4, drawn 5 and lost 7 (including derby 2-3 and Milan 1-5 at home). The Biancocelesti had 17 points in the table and were in 13th position. Their last league game had been a 2-3 home defeat to Juventus. 

Palermo were favourites today, doing better in the league and playing at home.

The match

An uncharacteristically cold afternoon brought about 25,000 spectators to the beautifully located ground at the foot of Monte Pellegrino.

Lazio came to Sicily with a decimated squad, the Biancocelesti were without injured Luciano Zauri, Valon Behrami, Massimo Mutarelli, Gaby Mudingayi, Stefano Mauri, Mourad Meghni, Roberto Baronio, Guglielmo Stendardo, Ivan Artipoli plus suspended Goran Pandev, almost a potential starting XI.

Palermo on the other hand had no such problems and Bresciano, Bosko Jankovic and Marco Pisano could not even find space on the bench. The Rosanero started with a threatening trio of Edison Cavani-Fabrizio Miccoli-Amauri up front.

The first phases were all Palermo with the front three combining neatly. Lazio however were balanced tactically and covered the field well. The Rosanero attacked but had difficulty being truly dangerous.

In the 22nd minute the hosts were forced to replace an injured Giulio Migliaccio with Fabio Caserta in midfield after a dirty foul by Fabio Firmani.

Palermo's pressure was interrupted in the 26th minute when a Firmani close range shot was saved by Federico Agliardi. Then the Rosaneri piled forward again and took the lead in the 34th minute. A Miccoli freekick from the right into the area was headed in by Fabio Simplicio. Palermo 1 Lazio 0.

Lazio reacted and had two shots just over the bar, first with Stephen Makinwa and then Aleksandar Kolarov. The first half ended with a bit of friction with Vignaroli threatening Ciro Capuano for not having put the ball out when he had been down injured. Halftime score Palermo 1 Lazio 0. All in all, a deserved lead for the Sicilian Eagles.

The second half had barely started when Palermo scored again. In the 46th minute an assist by Miccoli put Amauri one-on-one with Marco Ballotta, the Brazilian made no mistake with a cool, left-footed lob. Palermo 2 Lazio 0. The worst possible re-start for Lazio, things were looking grim.

Miccoli then almost made it three but Ballotta saved in two attempts. 

Lazio tried to change things making two substitutions, in the 56th minute Igli Tare replaced Makinwa and in the 59th Simone Del Nero came on for Fabio Vignaroli.

Following the second replacement Lazio immediately pulled one back. Firmani found himself unmarked in the area on a Kolarov assist and beat Agliardi with a low right foot. Palermo 2 Lazio 1.

At this point Palermo concentrated on maintaining the lead and their midfield dropped back at least 15-20 metres. In the 69th minute Guidolin took off forward Cavani and put on another defensive midfielder Aimo Diana.

In the 75th minute came a key episode in the match. Sebastiano Siviglia fouled Amauri in the area on a goal scoring opportunity, red card for the defender and penalty to Palermo. Amauri stepped up to virtually close the game but fired his shot over the bar. A lifeline for Lazio but still with a mountain to climb.

In the 77th minute Rossi played his last card throwing on Lionel Scaloni for Christian Manfredini.

Four minutes later Lazio, despite the numerical inferiority, managed to equalise. Lorenzo De Silvestri powered down the right and squared to Tare in the middle, the Albanian’s low left foot went in near the post. Palermo 2 Lazio 2. An extraordinary turnaround in events.

Palermo were in shock and could not get a winner even when Lazio remained in 9 men. In the 89th minute De Silvestri was sent off for a second yellow and the referee then gave three minutes of injury time. The Lazio defence however stood firm and brought back an extremely welcome point back to Rome. Final score Palermo 2 Lazio 2.

Palermo were extremely disappointed about not closing out the match but Lazio had battled hard and never given up, in what at times looked like a certain defeat.

Who played for Palermo 

Agliardi, Zaccardo, Biava, Barzagli, Capuano, Guana, Migliaccio (25' Caserta), Simplicio (92' Brienza), Cavani (69' Diana), Miccoli, Amauri

Substitutes: Ujkani, Tedesco, Cassani, Rinaudo

Manager: Guidolin

Who played for Lazio

Ballotta, De Silvestri, Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov, Vignaroli (59' Del Nero), Ledesma, Firmani, Manfredini (77' Scaloni), Rocchi, Makinwa (56' Tare)

Substitutes: Muslera, Cinelli, Casini, Faraoni

Manager: Rossi

Referee: Orsato

Goals: 34' Simplicio, 46' Amauri, 59' Firmani, 81' Tare

Sources

Lazio Wiki