Lazio make it three on three at Doria

Dag Jenkins
Sep 12, 2023
4 min read

Season 2003-04

Game 2, Serie A

Saturday, September 13, 2003

Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa

Sampdoria Lazio 1-2

After an entertaining game Lazio win away at Samp for the third year running and stay top

In Serie A Lazio had debuted two weeks earlier defeating Lecce 4-1 at the Olimpico. This evening was the second league game of the season.

In their first Serie A game Sampdoria had drawn 2-2 in Reggio Calabria against Reggina coming from 0-2 down.

A game open to any result today. Lazio were superior on paper and had won the last two away games at Sampdoria but the hosts had great enthusiasm for their home debut in Serie A after four long years in the second tier of Italian football.

The match

A 6 p.m kick-off attracted about 35,000 to the former Marassi stadium.

Roberto Mancini received a warm welcome by his former fans. The home fans then went silent for the first ten minutes in protest against "modern football".

Sampdoria had no real absences. Lazio meanwhile were without César and Claudio López.

Lazio started well and in the 3rd minute Sinisa Mihajlovic shaved the post with a free kick from thirty metres out. In the 4th Simone Inzaghi tried an acrobatic volley from a Roberto Muzzi cross but it was wide.

Lazio took the lead within ten minutes. In the 8th minute Mihajlovic took a free kick from 35 metres out, it floated into the area where Dejan Stankovic headed on to Simone Inzaghi who scored from close range, 0-1.

Sampdoria had a golden opportunity to equalise almost immediately when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Mihajlovic on Fabio Bazzani. Cristiano Doni took it but Angelo Peruzzi dived low to his left and saved.

Lazio took energy from being let off and had two chances. In the 18th minute Francesco Antonioli saved another Mihajlovic free kick and in the 19th Stefano Fiore was off target from a Giuliano Giannichedda assist.

The hosts responded in the 24th minute when a Doni cross deflected by Luciano Zauri dangerously passed through the area near the goal line.

In the 27th minute Fiore shot high after a scramble in the area while a minute later Bazzani was on target but his effort lacked power and was caught under the crossbar by Peruzzi.

Lazio went very close to doubling the score in the 32nd minute but Stankovic' powerful strike was just wide and again in the 35th when Fiore's shot looked like a certain goal but it was then deflected by Francesco Pedone and shaved the post.

The last two opportunities were for Doria. In the 37th minute Peruzzi parried on Marazzina and then on the rebound Bazzani's shot was headed away by Mihajlovic. In the 41st minute a Sergio Volpi volley was not far off. Halftime Sampdoria 0 Lazio 1.

There were no changes at halftime.

In the 51st minute Massimo Marazzina waited too long to shoot and was then walled by Mihajlovic.

In the 55th minute came the first substitution as Paolo Negro replaced Mihajlovic.

In the 59th minute Samp changed forwards, bringing on Francesco Flachi for Marazzina and adding another forward Atsushi Yanagisawa for midfielder Pedone.

Four minutes later Inzaghi went off for Bernardo Corradi.

One minute later Lazio were awarded a penalty for Corradi being held back in the area by Maurizio Domizzi. Demetrio Albertini stepped up and did not miss, placing the ball to the right of Antonioli who got a touch but could not keep it out, 0-2.

In the 69th minute the Blucerchiati put on a more attacking defender Stefano Bettarini for Giulio Falcone.

In the 72nd minute Peruzzi saved a weak Bazzani header. A minute later however a Bazzani header from a Bettarini cross had far more power and beat Peruzzi, 1-2.

Five minutes later the Jaap Stam-Bazzani duel was renewed but this time in the Samp area. The Dutchman in the left side of the box dribbled past the forward and shot but Antonioli saved with a foot.

In the last ten minutes Sampdoria pushed forward. They had a penalty appeal in the 85th minute when Aimo Diana collapsed in the Lazio area but Messina pointed towards the goal kick, giving Lazio fans a scare as initially it was not clear exactly where he was pointing.

Lazio made their last substitution in the 87th minute when a defender Massimo Oddo came on for striker Muzzi.

The teams had one last chance each. In the 92nd minute Domizzi headed just over the bar and in the 93rd a Stankovic belter whistled past the post. After five minutes of added time the referee blew up. Final score: Sampdoria 1 Lazio 2.

For Lazio Albertini and Peruzzi had stood out while for Sampdoria Bazzani had performed well.

An entertaining game and a hard fought win for Lazio. Both teams had played well and could look to the rest of the season with optimism.

Who played for Sampdoria

Antonioli, Diana, Falcone (69' Bettarini), Grandoni, Domizzi, Pedone (59' Yanagisawa), Volpi, Palombo, Doni, Bazzani, Marazzina (59' Flachi)

Substitutes: Turci, Sacchetti, C.Zenoni, Donati

Manager: Novellino

Who played for Lazio

Peruzzi, Zauri, Stam, Mihajlovic (55' Negro), Favalli, Fiore, Albertini, Giannichedda, Stankovic, S.Inzaghi (63' Corradi), Muzzi (87' Oddo)