Djordjevic comes good in Sicily

Dag Jenkins
Sep 28, 2023
4 min read

Season 2014-15

Game 5, Serie A

Monday, September 29, 2014

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Palermo-Lazio 0-4

A hat-trick by the Serb helps Lazio to big win in Palermo

So far in Serie A things were not going too well. Lazio had played four, won 1 (Cesena 3-0 at home) and lost three (Milan 1-3 away on debut, Genoa 0-1 away and most recently Udinese 0-1 at home). Lazio were 15th, on 3 points (with Chievo, Sassuolo and Palermo).

So far in Serie A Palermo had won drawn 3 (Sampdoria 1-1 at home on debut, Inter 1-1 at home and most recently Napoli 3-3 away) and lost 1 (Verona 1-2 away). Palermo too were 15th, on 3 points.

A game tonight between two sides in difficulty especially Lazio but, knowing the Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini, there was already talk of Giuseppe Iachini's job being at risk too.

The match

Just under 20,000 turned up on a warm Monday night under the Monte Pellegrino.

Palermo had defender Giancarlo González and midfielder Enzo Maresca missing.

Lazio had a few absences, attacking full-back Dušan Basta, defender Stefan Radu plus midfielders Lucas Biglia and Danilo Cataldi.

The two head coaches, Giuseppe Iachini and Stefano Pioli knew each other well, having played together for Verona and Fiorentina.

Palermo played in their unique pink jerseys while Lazio wore white with thin vertical light blue stripes.

The first half was a pretty blocked affair. For Palermo Andrea Belotti was too isolated up front and for Lazio Antonio Candreva was the only one who took some initiatives with some interesting crosses.

Lazio had the first shot at goal but Edson Braafheid's long range left footed effort was saved low by Stefano Sorrentino.

Palermo had an early chance with the talented Paulo Dybala but his shot was just wide. The Argentine then had an even bigger one but in front of Federico Marchetti he shot straight at the keeper. The game then went quiet although Palermo showed more attacking desire.

The game however came alive at the end of the half. The Rosaneri wasted two opportunities, first with a brilliant Franco Vásquez solo run but his shot was just out and then Dybala was denied by Marchetti. Then in the last minute Lazio scored. A Senad Lulic-Candreva combination led the Roman to cross low into the area where both Marco Parolo and goalkeeper Sorrentino missed the ball which fell to Filip Djordjevic for the simplest of tap-ins, 0-1. Slightly against the run of play although Lazio then had a threatening Stefano Mauri shot saved a few seconds before the break, Palermo 0 Lazio 1.

For the second half Iachini pushed Dybala further forward to play alongside Belotti rather than behind him. In the 56th minute he also threw on Emerson Palmieri for Achraf Lazaar but the hosts had difficulty creating threats. For Lazio, Felipe Anderson replaced Candreva in the 58th minute.

For Palermo Dybala was again the most dangerous but his powerful strike was punched away by Marchetti. The Sicilians best chance came in the 67th minute when Zouhair Feddal's diving header, from another headed assist by Barreto from a Dybala cross, was just off target.

Palermo tired and Lazio were increasingly dangerous on the break. In the 71st minute Sorrentino saved twice from a Djordjevic backheel and then Parolo on the rebound in the same move but capitulated four minutes later.

In the 75th minute Lulic fed the Serb striker who skipped past Claudio Terzi and placed an accurate curling left foot inside the far post, 0-2.

Palermo were finished and even took off Dybala and put on Simon Marienok. Lazio meanwhile reinforced their aerial defence replacing Braafheid with Michaël Ciani.

Lazio absorbed Palermo's sterile attacks but just to be sure in the 82nd minute threw on a more holding midfielder Cristian Ledesma for the more creative Stefano Mauri. The Pink Eagles at the same moment took off Édgar Barreto and tried Robin Quaison.

A minute later Lazio definitely closed the eagle contest. The ball went over the hosts' defence to Djordjevic on the left, he let it bounce and then blasted it across goal to put Lazio three goals clear, 0-3.

Palermo were on their knees and in injury time Lazio scored again. In the 93rd minute Ledesma swung in a free kick from the right and Marco Parolo a little fortuitously brought it down and found it at his feet before striking it low near the far post, 0-4 and final score.

A flattering score line for Lazio who had been second best for long periods of the game. A fact confirmed by the home fans applauding their players off the pitch.

Football however is all about scoring and if you score four unanswered goals away from home without any controversial episodes there is not much more to be said.

From the risk of being bottom of the table with a defeat, Lazio were now mid-table on 6 points (with Fiorentina). Palermo on the other hand were still on 3 points and only out of the bottom three on goal difference but had not played badly and could be reasonably optimistic not be involved in the relegation battle.

Who played for Palermo

Sorrentino, Andelkovic, Terzi, Feddal, Morganella, Barreto (82' Quaison), Rigoni, Lazaar (56' Emerson), Vásquez, Dybala (76' Makienok), Belotti

Substitutes: Ujkani, Vitiello, Pisano, Silva, Bolzoni, Ngoyi, Čočev, Bamba, Daprelà

Manager: Iachini

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Cavanda, de Vrij, Cana, Braafheid (77' Ciani), Onazi, Parolo, Candreva (58' F.Anderson), Mauri (82' Ledesma), Lulic, Djordjevic