Cup Winners Cup, Round of 16, 2nd Leg
Thursday, November 5, 1998
Stadion Partizana, Belgrade
Partizan Belgrade-Lazio 2-3
Despite falling behind a "Matador" brace then helps Lazio triumph in a hard-fought game
In the round of 32 in September Lazio had eliminated Lausanne on away goals (1-1 in Rome, 2-2 in Switzerland). Then in the first leg of the last 16 Lazio had drawn 0-0 at home to Partizan Belgrade.
A difficult game today, also connected to geo-political events. The Kosovo Liberation Army had come out in open rebellion against Serbian rule and the Serb forces had answered by shelling villages and trying to force Kosovo Albanians to leave. So not exactly a peaceful part of the world to fly to at the moment.
A difficult away trip today in a hostile and notoriously passionate stadium.
The match
A predictable 40,000 full house in Belgrade. There were also some Red Star fans supporting Lazio and their old heroes Sinisa Mihajlovic and Dejan Stankovic.
Compared to the game in Rome the Serbs were without defender Milan Stojanoski while Lazio had Marcelo Salas back from injury.
The pitch was very heavy from previous rainfall. Not good news for Lazio who were more technical while the Serbs more physical.
The first chance of the game however was for the Romans. In the 10th minute Pavel Nedved set up Roberto Mancini but his shot hit the keeper and from the rebound Sergio Conceição's strike was headed off the line by Vuk Rašović.
The Serbs became increasingly aggressive and in the 17th minute went in front. Goran Trobok beat Giuseppe Favalli on the right and crossed low to Mladen Krstajic who with his right foot put the ball under the crossbar. Partizan 1 Lazio 0.
The stadium was on fire and the hosts, on the waves of youth and enthusiasm, continued to attack. They threatened again with a cross-cum-shot by Saša Ilic and Mateja Kezman who was just anticipated by Luca Marchegiani who dived low at his feet.
Lazio were in difficulty but weathered the storm and gradually had more time and space. In the 43rd minute Conceição went on a good run down the right wing and crossed, Salas chested it down but was pulled down by Branko Savić for a penalty. "El Matador" Salas drilled a powerful central shot to beat the keeper. Partizan 1 Lazio1. With an away goal it was suddenly Lazio in the driving seat at halftime.
A difficult first 45 minutes for Lazio who had suffered the locals' impetus and enthusiasm in the Partizana cauldron but had survived the worst and found the precious equaliser at the end albeit on a penalty.
In the second half the locals were less confident and Lazio seemed to have more control.
In the 50th minute the Serbs replaced Goran Obradovic with Dragan Stojsavljevic while in the 53rd the Biancocelesti brought on former Red Star Belgrade, Dejan Stankovic for Conceição.
Lazio had several dangerous counter attacks but Nedved was off target twice and Stankovic shaved the post from the edge of the box.
As Partizan rhythm went down a notch, Lazio raised their game and in the 66th minute took the lead. The experience and magic of Mancini teed up Stankovic with a back heel and the young Serb barged between the two central defenders and got a foot to the ball which came off the keeper and back to Stankovic who then had an open goal. Partizan 1 Lazio 2. The few Red Star fans present were overjoyed as were Lazio. Partizan now needed two unanswered goals to qualify.
The young home side were clearly affected by the setback and struggled to regroup. In the 68th minute they brought on Ivica Iliev for Vladimir Ivic.
In the 75th minute Lazio scored again. From a Sinisa Mihajlovic corner, Giorgio Venturin shot towards goal in a crowded area, the ball reached Salas who slowed the ball down and then chipped the keeper from close range. Partizan 1 Lazio 3.
The Chilean goal scorer was then taken off in the 81st minute and Croat Alen Boksic came on. Another unpopular player with the home crowd to add to Stankovic and Mihajlovic.
The tie seemed over but in the 85th minute Iliev scored with a perfect header from an excellent Stanisavljevic cross from the right. Partizan 2 Lazio 3.
Partizan attacked in the last minutes but still needed two more goals. An unlikely task at this point for the tiring Serbs. Both sides made one more substitution, Nenad Bjekovic in place of Mateja Kezman for the hosts and Roberto Baronio for Mancini in the Lazio XI.
Lazio saw out the last minutes and brought home a great win but more importantly were through to the quarterfinals.
It had not been easy, but no-one thought it would be. For at least twenty-five minutes in the first half the Biancocelesti seemed on the verge of collapsing but with experience, resilience, patience and ultimately their superior quality had come through victorious. A European night to remember for Lazio in the "White City".
Who played for Partizan Belgrade
Damjanac, Rašović, Savić, Krstajić, Gerasimovski, Trobok, Ilić (68' Iliev), Ivic, Tomić, Kežman (90' Bjeković), Obradović (50' Stanisavljevic)
Substitutes: Ljubanovic, Svetličić, Tešović, Duljaj, Sabo
Manager: Tumbaković
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Pancaro, F. Couto, Mihajlovic, Favalli, S. Conceição (53' Stankovic), Almeyda, Venturin, Nedved, Salas (81' Boksic), Mancini (89' Baronio)
Manager: Eriksson
Referee: Stuchlik (Aus)
Goals: 17' Krstajić, 43' Salas, 66' Stankovic, 75' Salas, 85' Iliev
Sources
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