September 9, 1998: Lazio -Cosenza 2-1, Coppa Italia
- Dag Jenkins
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
Matador slays Calabrian Wolves
Lazio come from behind to win but tie still wide open
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season, under manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, Lazio had won silverware after 24 years, triumphing against Milan 3-2 on aggregate in the Coppa Italia. The Biancocelesti had lost the first leg in Milan 0-1 and had been 0-1 down in Rome too, but then scored three goals in ten minutes to win 3-1 and give some generations the new sweet taste of success. A Cup Winners Cup campaign awaited them.
Over the summer there had been some changes to the squad. Important players arrived: defenders Fernando Couto (Parma), Sinisa Mihajlovic (Sampdoria), midfielders Iván De La Peña (Barcelona), Dejan Stankovic (Red Star Belgrade), Sergio Conceição (Porto) plus strikers Marcelo Salas (River Plate) and Christian Vieri (Atlético Madrid).
Leaving were: keeper Fernando Orsi (retiring), defenders José Chamot (Atlético Madrid) and Alessandro Grandoni (Sampdoria), midfielders Diego Fuser (Parma) and Vladimir Jugovic (Atlético Madrid) plus striker Pierluigi Casiraghi (Chelsea) and, in October, Roberto Rambaudi (Genoa). So quite an upheaval to the squad.
This was the round of 32 and was Lazio's first cup game. The return leg would be on September 23.
Serie A would start soon, on September 13 with an away trip to Piacenza.
Cosenza had finished top of group B in Serie C the previous year so would play in Serie B this year. The promotion manager was Giuliano Sonzogni and top scorer was Massimo Margiotta with 19 league goals.
This season Sonzogni stayed on. The main new players were: defenders Fabio Di Sauro (Fidelis Andria), Marco Colle (Castrovillari), and midfielder Christian Manfredini (Juventus - on loan).
Leaving were: goalkeeper Salvatore Soviero (Genoa), defender Marco Mazzoli (Livorno), midfielders Pasquale Logarzo (Pisa-imminent) and Stefano Morrone (Empoli - not until January 1999) plus forward Massimo Margiotta (Lecce).
There was enthusiasm in Cosenza for the team's cup trip to Rome especially as Serie B had started three days earlier and the Rossoblu had won 2-1 away at Napoli with goals by Vincenzo Riccio and Tomaso Tati.
In the Coppa Italia 1st round the "Lupi della Sila" had eliminated Treviso on away goals (a.e.t).
Today was the Round of 32 and obviously Lazio were overwhelming favourites.
The match: Wednesday, September 9, 1998, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A 25,000-crowd turned out for this evening's Coppa Italia debut.
Lazio were without injured defender Alessandro Nesta, midfielder Matias Almeyda and new striker Christian Vieri who had to sit this one out due to a match suspension in arrears from a cup game in 1996.
Lazio predictably started on the attack. Sergio Conceição was particularly active and he set up chances for Roberto Mancini and Marcelo Salas but they both wasted them.
The Matador then tried to make up for it with a sublime ball control, dummy and low left foot which shaved the post.
In the 25th minute it was the former Lazio keeper, Giorgio Frezzolini, who was protagonist with great saves on Salas first and then Ivan De La Peña.
Salas then missed another golden opportunity set up by Mancini.
Just as it seemed a Lazio goal would come any minute the visitors hit a post. Pasquale Apa crossed well into the middle and Christian Manfredini's header came back off the woodwork. Halftime 0-0.
In the second half it was the Calabresi who started better. After surviving the first 45 minutes they believed they could get something from this game.
In the 60th minute the Serie B side scored. A Stefano Morrone strike hit the crossbar and on the rebound Vincenzo Riccio coordinated himself well and with a skilful bicycle kick put the Calabresi in front, 0-1.
At this point both sides made changes, Dejan Stankovic took Giorgio Venturin's place and two minutes later Pasquale Logarzo came on for Arpa.
Lazio had to change gear and fortunately the Matador led the charge. In the 64th minute he broke away from his marker Giovanni Paschetta who pulled him down. He was last man so the referee was forced to give him his marching orders.
Against ten men Lazio took five minutes to equalise. It was the revitalised Chilean striker Salas who uncharacteristically scored with his right foot after going around the keeper, 1-1.
Cosenza then took off their best player so far, Manfredini and threw on Angelo Andreoli.
Lazio decided to go for an all-out attack and replaced defender Stefano Lombardi with striker Igor Protti. They now fielded a 3-4-3 formation.
Lazio now pushed forward constantly and twelve minutes from time reinforced their aerial threat by replacing Paolo Negro with Fernando Couto.
Lazio's breakthrough eventually originated from a high cross into the area. While going for a header Protti was clearly held back by Aniello Parisi. A naive foul but the referee had no other option than to point to the penalty spot. Salas stepped up and beat Frezzolini, 2-1.
Lazio could then have got a two-goal cushion but Sinisa Mihajlovic hit the post with a free kick and then first De La Peña, with another post, and then Protti, with only the keeper to beat, missed sitters.
Cosenza made one last substitution bringing on Antonino Marcatti for Tomaso Tatti in the 84th minute.
The last chance of the game was for the Lupi when Riccio got in a good shot but Luca Marchegiani saved well. The Rossoblu had played well but a draw would possibly have been too much. Final score Lazio 2 Cosenza 1.
Lazio had scored in the second half but had played better in the first. In the second Lazio's midfield had tired (Pavel Nedved had played for his national team on the Sunday) and struggled against the visitors’ speed and high press.
Luckily Salas woke up and showed his class and Conceição too had been positive. The qualification was still open but in the return leg Vieri would be back to hopefully put away some of the goal scoring opportunities.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Negro (78' F. Couto), G. Lopez, Mihajlovic, Lombardi (72' Protti), S. Conceição, Venturin (60' Stankovic), De La Peña, Nedved, Salas, R. Mancini
Manager: Eriksson
Who played for Cosenza
Frezzolini, Parisi, Malagò, Paschetta, Di Sauro, Apa (62' Logarzo), Riccio, Moscardi, Morrone, Manfredini (69' Andreoli), Tatti (84' Marcatti)
Substitutes: Riva, Toscano, Colle, Florio
Manager: Sonzogni
Referee: Sirotti
Goals: 60' Riccio, 69' Salas, 81' Salas (pen)
Red Card: 64' Paschetta
What happened next
In the return leg Lazio won 2-0 in Calabria (o.g and Stankovic) but unfortunately Vieri got injured after 16 minutes and was out until January. The Biancocelesti then got the better of Milan 4-2 on aggregate but went out to Inter 4-6 on aggregate in the quarter finals. There was therefore no repeat of the previous year's triumph.
Lazio went very close to winning the Scudetto and finished 2nd in Serie A. The start was hesitant with 3 wins (including Inter 5-3 away), 5 draws (including Roma 3-3) and 3 defeats. Then between early December and the end of March they won 13 and drew 2. They were top of the table until the penultimate game when they drew in Florence, being denied a blatant penalty and were undeservedly overtaken by Milan. The Biancocelesti then beat Parma 2-1 but remained one point behind the Rossoneri.
Lazio however found glory in Europe. In the Cup Winners Cup the Biancocelesti first eliminated Lausanne on away goals and then Partizan Belgrade 3-2 on aggregate. In the quarter final Lazio defeated Greeks Panionios 7-0 and in the semi-final Lokomotiv Moscow on away goals. The final was at Villa Park in Birmingham and Lazio defeated Mallorca 2-1 with goals by Christian Vieri and Pavel Nedved to lift the last ever European Cup Winners Cup. A European trophy to mitigate the loss of the league title and a Super Cup clash with Manchester United in late August 1999 as a reward.
Cosenza finished 16th in Serie B. The Rossoblu struggled but ultimately avoided relegation by two points (with 7 points in last 3 games) and had the satisfaction of beating Napoli twice. After 12 games Sonzogni was sacked and replaced by Walter De Vecchi but then Sonzogni returned for the last 3 games. Top scorer was Tomaso Tatti with 14 league goals.
Let's talk about Giorgio Frezzolini
Giorgio Frezzolini was born in Rome, on January 21, 1976.
At 14 he joined the Lazio youth academy and in 1993 was added to the first team squad. He never made his debut and in November he went to Cerveteri on loan.
Cerveteri near Rome, famous for its Etruscan ruins and wine, were in Serie C2. Frezzolini only played 3 league games. One of his managers was former Lazio Stefano Di Chiara. The Etruschi finished 13th but then folded due to financial problems (they would reappear in 1999).
In 1994-95 Frezzolini was loaned to Carpi in C1. Again, he only played 3 league games. The manager was Gianni De Biasi and the Falcons finished 11th. One of his teammates was a young Simone Inzaghi.
In 1995-96 he signed for Inter and was 3rd keeper for a season, behind Gianluca Pagliuca and Marco Landucci. Inter finished 7th with three different managers: Ottavio Bianchi (1-4), Luis Suárez (5-6) and Roy Hodgson (7-34). His teammates included former Lazio, Francesco Dell'Anno (plus players such as Zanetti, Roberto Carlos, Ince, Berti).
In 1996 he was sent on loan to Trapani in C1. In Sicily he finally played regularly, making 32 league appearances. The Granata Trapanesi finished 16th under Ivo Iaconi.
In 1997 he joined Fidelis Andria in Serie B on loan but only stayed until November. In this time, he played 11 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia (conceding six goals over two legs against Lazio). The manager was former Lazio player and briefly future manager, Giuseppe Papadopulo and the Leoni Azzurri finished 12th. Top scorer was former Lazio, Oberdan Biagioni.
Frezzolini had joined Udinese on loan in Serie A. He was reserve keeper to Luigi Turci and played 2 league games. The manager was future Lazio, Alberto Zaccheroni and the Friulani finished 3rd (UEFA). His teammates included future Lazio, Giuliano Giannichedda and Lazio hero Alessandro Calori.
In 1998-99 he was loaned out again this time to Cosenza in Serie B. He stayed until January, playing 14 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia (2 against Lazio again).
In January 1999 he went to Milan on loan. He was 3rd keeper behind Sebastiano Rossi and Christian Abbiati and never played. The manager was Alberto Zaccheroni and the Rossoneri won the Scudetto, one point ahead of Lazio. One of his teammates was former Lazio Alessandro Iannuzzi.
In 1999-2000 he went back to his parent club, Inter. Here he was back up keeper to Angelo Peruzzi and Fabrizio Ferron. He made no appearances under Marcello Lippi and the Nerazzurri finished 4th (UCL). Apart from Peruzzi the squad included Lazio connections Vladimir Jugović, Francesco Colonnese, Ousmane Dabo, Gigi Di Biagio and Christian Vieri.
In 2000 Frezzolini moved to Chievo in Serie B on loan. The main keeper was Sergio Marcon and Frezzolini made 2 league appearances. The Cliveni finished 3rd under Luigi Delneri and won promotion. There were a few Lazio connections; Bernardo Corradi, Daniele Franceschini and Christian Manfredini.
In 2001 he finally left Inter and was sold to Lecce in Serie A. He made 4 league appearances and 2 in Coppa Italia. The manager was first Alberto Cavasin and then future Lazio, Delio Rossi. The Salentini finished 16th and relegated. His teammates included future Lazio captain, Cristian Ledesma.
In 2002-03 he was back on the road, on loan to Venezia in Serie B. He played 3 times in the league and once in Coppa Italia. The manager was Gianfranco Bellotto and the Lagunari finished 13th. The squad included future Lazio, Fabio Firmani and Calori again.
In 2003-04 he went back to Verona and signed for Chievo in Serie A. He played 8 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia. The main keeper was Lazio's Scudetto hero Luca Marchegiani. The manager was still Delneri and the Gialloblu finished 9th. Other Lazio connections were Roberto Baronio and Giuseppe Sculli.
The following season he joined Modena in Serie B. In Emilia he finally found some stability and stayed five seasons all in B. He played 183 games (178 in league). Modena finished 7th, 5th, 16th, 16th and 15th.
His managers were Stefano Pioli the first two seasons then Daniele Zoratto and Bortolo Mutti in the third and fourth and Zoratto and Luigi Apolloni in the fifth. His teammates included Lazio Stefano Mauri, Stefano Lombardi and Ivan Artipoli.
In 2009-10 he joined Ascoli in Serie B. He played 17 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia. The manager was first Alessandro Pane and then Giuseppe Pillon and the Bianconeri finished 9th. The squad included former Lazio, Andrea Giallombardo.
Frezzolini's last club was Atalanta from 2010 to 2015. He was a reserve and played a total of 8 games. In the first season the Nerazzurri were promoted from B and then finished 12th, 15th, 11th and 17th. The manager was always Stefano Colantuono apart from part of the last season when he was replaced halfway by Edy Reja. His teammates included Lazio connections: Leonardo Talamonti, Guglielmo Stendardo, Massimo Mutarelli, Lionel Scaloni, Rolando Bianchi and Giuseppe Biava.
At 39 he retired but stayed on in Bergamo first as the main team goalkeeper coach and then from 2023 as the U23s goalkeeper coach.
Frezzolini was a strong goalkeeper at 1.86 and 80 kilos. He played 305 professional games but was often back up keeper. Where he played most was at Modena where he was the undisputed first choice for five years. He won a Scudetto at Milan in 1999 and a promotion to A with Atalanta in 2011.
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