Lukewarm debut

Dag Jenkins

Sep 13, 2023

3 min read

Season 1998-99

Game 1, Serie A

Sunday, September 23, 1998

Stadio Leonardo Garilli, Piacenza

Piacenza-Lazio 1-1

Lazio go in front with fifteen minutes remaining but Inzaghino equalises in dying minutes with the Biancocelesti in ten men

The season had started triumphantly on August 29 when Lazio beat Juventus 2-1 in Turin to lift their first ever Italian Supercoppa.

Today was Lazio's Serie A debut.

Their Coppa Italia defence had started on September 9 with a 2-1 home win against Cosenza. The return game would be on September 23.

In the Cup Winners Cup the Biancocelesti would play Lausanne in the round of 32 at home in the first leg on September 17.

Not an easy start for Lazio today, especially seeing the difficulties they had against these opponents the previous season.

The match

A sunny day in Emilia brought about 15,000 to the Garilli.

Lazio were still without defenders Alessandro Nesta (injured at recent World Cup), Beppe Favalli and Paolo Negro plus midfielder Matias Almeyda and forward Alen Boksic.

Piacenza were only missing defender Gianluca Lamacchi.

The game started at a slow pace.

The first threat was by the hosts but Luca Marchegiani rushed to the edge of the box and dived at Simone Inzaghi's feet to stop the local boy from scoring.

Piacenza increased their rhythm and in the 21st minute an Inzaghi header was superbly saved by Marchegiani.

In the 28th minute Lazio stirred with a brilliant Ivan De la Peña initiative. The Little Buddha nutmegged an opponent and burst into the box but Valerio Fiori touched his shot onto the crossbar.

A few minutes later Inzaghi scored a tap-in after Marchegiani had parried on Massimo Rastelli but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Towards the end of the half Giovanni Stroppa was bleeding copiously and his head had to be bandaged up. Half time 0-0.

For the second 45 minutes Lazio made two changes; Sérgio Conceição and Giorgio Venturin were replaced by Roberto Mancini and Dejan Stankovic. For the Biancorossi Stroppa was unable to continue and on came Paolo Cristallini.

In the second half Lazio had more possession and control.

Christian Vieri crossed low from the left and Fiori fumbled but Marcelo Salas fired the loose ball wide.

Piacenza started to regain energy so in the 59th minute Eriksson decided to take off De La Peña and introduce Roberto Baronio. A minute later Piacenza responded by replacing Gianpietro Piovani with Renato Buso.

In the 62nd minute Fiori was forced off injured and on came replacement keeper Sergio Marcon.

The game came to life with a bang in the 75th minute. Stankovic scored a brilliant goal with a blistering shot from at least 30 metres out, 0-1.

Lazio seemed able to control the hosts' reaction but things complicated themselves in the 86th minute when Stefano Lombardi got his marching orders for a second yellow.

Piacenza's conviction increased and in the 88th minute they equalised. Rastelli went down the "Lombardiless" right flank and crossed into the middle where Inzaghi outjumped Fernando Couto and headed in, 1-1 and end of story.

A pity for Lazio but the result was fair. The hosts had played with more energy and enthusiasm and had not deserved to lose. Lazio were superior but still looked heavy legged. Hopefully with increased horsepower all the quality of their machine would emerge.

For Lazio Stankovic had impressed while for Piacenza tough veteran Pietro Vierchowod had kept Vieri very quiet.

Who played for Piacenza

Fiori (62' Marcon), A.Lucarelli, Sacchetti, Vierchowod, Polonia, Piovani (60' Buso), Mazzola, Stroppa (46' Cristallini), Manighetti, S.Inzaghi, Rastelli