Dias volley and Muslera heroics keep Lazio top

Dag Jenkins
Oct 31, 2023
4 min read

Season 2010-11

Game 9, Serie A

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Palermo - Lazio 0-1

A superb strike by the Brazilian plus the Uruguayan's saves give Lazio win in Sicily

The season had started very well for Lazio who despite losing the opener (Sampdoria) had 19 points. After their negative debut the Biancocelesti had then won 6 (including last four) and drawn 1 (Milan 1-1 at home). Lazio were top of the table, two points clear of Milan and four of Inter. The new signing Hernanes was proving to be an excellent buy.

So far in Serie A Palermo had won 3 (including Juventus 3-1 away), drawn 2 and lost 3. They were currently 7th on 11 points with Sampdoria, Genoa and Lecce.

A difficult game for Lazio today but the Biancocelesti wanted to keep up their dream start.

The match

A crowd of 30,000 turned up in the stadium formerly known as La Favorita.

Palermo had to do without their striker Fabrizio Miccoli while Lazio were missing midfielders Mark Bresciano and Francelino Matuzalém.

The locals started better than Lazio and were on top for the first twenty minutes or so. The Rosanero had a chance in the first minute when, after a defensive error, Javier Pastore had a shot but it lacked power and Fernando Muslera saved.

The Sicilians attacked non-stop and found space, especially on the left side where Ferderico Balzaretti was particularly lively. Josip Iličic tried a curler but Muslera was ready. They had more shots by Pastore and Mauricio Pinilla but never seriously threatened Muslera.

Lazio absorbed the pressure and gradually came out of their shell. After twenty minutes the game became more balanced. Sergio Floccari had Lazio's first shot at goal.

In the 27th minute Lazio scored. Cristian Ledesma floated a freekick into the area from about 35 metres out on the right and it was met by André Dias who skilfully volleyed it under the crossbar with his right foot, 0-1. A brilliant goal.

Palermo lost some of their fire but in the 37th minute Muslera almost gifted them an equaliser when he kicked the ball straight at Pastore and it almost ricocheted into the goal.

In the 44th minute the hosts appealed for a penalty for a Stefan Lichtsteiner hand ball on a Balzaretti cross but the referee claimed it was involuntary (those were the days...). Halftime Palermo 0 Lazio 1.

For the second half Rossi took off Josip Iličić and brought on Abel Hernandez. The Uruguayan forward started off well but in the 57th minute was forced off injured and on came Massimo "Big Mac" Maccarone.

Lazio then had a chance to double their lead after a good Mauro Zarate-Hernanes move but Stefano Mauri waited a fraction too long and his shot was deflected wide for a corner by Cesare Bovo.

In the 64th minute Muslera saved superbly on a Pinilla scissor kick and then on the rebound Stefan Radu put his body in front of a Pastore strike and the ball spun out for corner.

In the 77th minute Lazio were reduced to ten men. Giuseppe Biava, already on a yellow, fouled Pinilla and was sent for an early shower. Edy Reja immediately threw on defender Guglielmo Stendardo and took off Hernanes.

It was now a siege by Palermo as Lazio played almost exclusively in their own half. Maccarone had a low diving header saved by Muslera and Mattia Cassani a left footed effort but it flew just off over the bar

In the 83rd minute Lazio buttoned up even more as they replaced Mauro Zarate with energetic Uruguayan midfielder Álvaro “El Tata" Gonzalez.

Palermo surged forward and in the 85th minute Muslera made two excellent saves in quick succession, first on a Pinilla header and then on a Cassani right footed effort.

Lazio resisted and in the 92nd minute tried to break up the home side's rhythm by taking off Mauri and putting on defender Lionel Scaloni.

The Biancoceleste bunker remained unviolated until the referee blew up after four minutes of added time. Final score Palermo 0 Lazio 1.

A great win for Lazio, the fifth in a row. It was far from straightforward but built on solid defending and an unbeatable Muslera. Lazio consolidated their league leadership and now had four points advantage on Inter and five on Milan (defeated 1-2 at home by Juventus).

Palermo had battled hard but came up against a cynical Lazio and Muslera at the top of his game. The Rosanero were now 10th with Genoa and Lecce on 11 points.

Who played for Palermo

Sirigu, Cassani, Munoz, Bovo, Balzaretti, Migliaccio, Bacinovic, Nocerino, Ilicic (46' Hernandez, 57' Maccarone), Pastore, Pinilla

Substitutes: Benussi, Darmian, Goian, Garcia, Kasami

Manager: Rossi

Who played for Lazio

Muslera, Lichtsteiner, Biava, Dias, Radu, Brocchi, Ledesma, Zarate (83' Gonzalez), Hernanes (78' Stendardo), Mauri (92' Scaloni), Floccari