Eagles fly high over Adriatic

Dag Jenkins
Oct 6, 2022
3 min read

Season 2012-13

Game 7, Serie A

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Stadio Adriatico, Pescara

Pescara-Lazio 0-3

Three goals in the first half give Lazio comfortable win

So far in Serie A Lazio had played 6 games and had won 4 (Atalanta 1-0 away on debut, Palermo 3-0 and Siena 2-1 at home, Chievo 3-1 away) and lost 2 (Genoa 0-1 at home and Napoli 0-3 away). Lazio were currently joint 3rd with Inter on 12 points.

Pescara had won 2 (the last 2 against Palermo at home and Cagliari away), drawn 1 (Bologna away) and lost 3 (the first 3 against Inter and Sampdoria at home and Torino away). Pescara were currently joint 11th on 7 points (with Milan and Bologna)

A tricky trip across the Apennines to the Adriatic for Lazio. There was no love lost between these two clubs and Pescara were improving after a difficult start.

The match

A sunny autumn day brought just under 13,000 spectators to the beautifully situated Stadio Adriatico.

Pescara had to do without defender Damiano Zanon, midfielder Francesco Modesto and forward Vladimír Weiss (suspended).

Lazio had defender Stefan Radu and midfielder Ederson unavailable, while Mauro Zarate was out of the squad.

The first shot was by Giuseppe Colucci, wide to Federico Marchetti's right, but it was Lazio who took the lead almost immediately courtesy of Hernanes. In the 5th minute the Brazilian curled a stunning freekick round the Pescara wall to give the Biancocelesti a dream start, 0-1.

There was little or no reaction from the locals and Lazio dominated. In the 11th minute a Hernanes shot was too central and in the 15th a superb Stefano Mauri volley shaved the post.

In the 25th minute Lazio made it two. Antonio Candreva sliced open the Pescara defence with a perfect through ball to Miro Klose who went around Mattia Perin and slotted it in, 0-2.

Pescara forced a series of corners but nothing more. In the 36th minute Lazio practically closed the game. On a Hernanes corner from the right Klose outjumped Christian Terlizzi and headed down past Perin, 0-3.

Two minutes later Marchetti was finally called into action when he tipped a Giuseppe Colucci free kick over the bar.

At half time Pescara 0 Lazio 3 and no contest so far.

For the second half the hosts tried to change something by replacing holding midfielder Manuele Blasi with Brazilian forward Jonathas.

The Dolphins now attacked more but rarely threatened. In the 56th minute they threw on another forward, talented Juan Fernando Quintero for Mervan Çelik while Lazio in the 60th changed fullback bringing on Luís Pedro Cavanda for Abdoulay Konko.

Pescara increased their efforts and Marchetti was busier but mainly on high crosses into the area.

In the 66th minute the Adriatici put on another forward Elvis Abbruscato for a poor Ante Vukušić.

With nothing to lose anymore the hosts finally forced Marchetti into a few good saves. First Quintero had a dangerous freekick saved by the keeper from Veneto and then he touched an Elvis Abbruscato effort onto the outside of the post.

Meanwhile in the 72nd minute Vladimir Petkovic had spared Klose the last twenty minutes (he was also one yellow card from a one-match suspension) and brought on Sergio Floccari.

The game had nothing more to say apart from a last substitution for Lazio in the 85th minute with Lorik Cana replacing Giuseppe Biava.

Final score Pescara 0 Lazio 3. Ultimately an easy win for the Biancocelesti. They had stamped down their authority and superior quality in the first half and then merely controlled Pescara's lacklustre reaction.

Lazio were still joint 3rd on 15 points (with Inter). Pescara were still joint 11th on 7 points (with Milan and Bologna) but now only two points above the relegation zone (Cagliari, Palermo and Atalanta on 5 points).

Who played for Pescara

Perin, Balzano, Capuano, Terlizzi, Bocchetti, Blasi (46' Jonathas), Colucci, Cascione, Caprari, Vukušić (66' Abbruscato), Celik (56' Quintero)

Substitutes: Pelizzoli, Falso, Romagnoli, Soddimo, Bjarnason, Nielsen, Brugman

Manager: Stroppa

Who played for Lazio

Marchetti, Konko (60' Cavanda), Dias, Biava (85' Cana), Lulic, Candreva, A.Gonzalez, Ledesma, Hernanes, Mauri, Klose (72' Floccari)