Highlander Ballotta is hero in five-goal thriller

Season 2005-2006

Game 33, Serie A

Sunday, April 9, 2006

Stadio Artemio Franchi, Siena

Siena Lazio 2-3

Lazio win but have to thank veteran keeper

Source Lazio Wiki

Lazio were doing surprisingly well. The Biancocelesti were in 7th position, only two points behind Chievo who occupied the last UEFA Cup slot.

Siena were currently 13th and had a comforting eight-point cushion on Messina who were 18th.

Lazio were slight favourites today but Siena were not safe yet so should not be underestimated despite their seven home defeats already this season.

The match

A mild, sunny day in the valley below the beautiful town of Siena. The small ground gathered about 10,000 spectators.

Siena were without midfielders Roberto D'Aversa and Luca Antonini plus forward Francesco Cozza while Lazio were missing goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi and forward Goran Pandev.

The game started with an awful defensive blunder by Lazio which allowed Enrico Chiesa to curl a shot towards the top corner but 43-year old Marco Ballotta showed his reflexes were still there as he saved brilliantly. It would not be the last of his busy afternoon.

In the 14th minute Lazio took the lead. Tommaso Rocchi ran onto a long ball from defence and entered the box from the right, the keeper however narrowed the angle and touched the ball which then spun up across goal where Stefano Mauri lunged in and scored. Siena 0 Lazio 1.

Eight minutes later Lazio scored again. A Rocchi shot was parried by Antonio Mirante and then Valon Behrami tried again on the rebound, it was walled by a defender but then ricocheted back off Behrami to Rocchi in front of goal, the Venetian striker stretched out and with his left foot beat Mirante. Siena 0 Lazio 2.

Lazio's double lead was short-lived as two minutes later the Tuscans pulled one back. A low Paolo Foglio cross from the right was tapped in from close range by Simone Vergassola with the Lazio defenders out of position. Siena 1 Lazio 2. Game on.

In the 28th minute Sebastiano Siviglia had an excellent header but towards the wrong goal and Ballotta plus the post saved his blushes.

The veteran keeper and the post combined again ten minutes later to deny Erjon Bogdani's low strike.

The goal was coming and it materialised two minutes later, in the 40th minute. Bogdani rose higher than the defenders and with his back to the goal headed the ball out towards the edge of the area where Chiesa struck a crisp, low shot into the right corner. Siena 2 Lazio 2. A fair score line at this point. Chiesa celebrated wildly as he had not scored since December 18 (including three missed penalties). Halftime Siena 2 Lazio 2.

For the second period Lazio replaced Paolo Di Canio and threw on Igli Tare.

The Biancocelesti did not take long to take back the lead. In the 50th minute Rocchi was fouled about thirty metres out by Roman and Lazio fan, Daniele Portanova. A considerable distance from goal but Ousmane Dabo stepped up and drilled a powerful low shot into the right corner. An amazing strike, Siena 2 Lazio 3.

In the 57th minute it was Ballotta's turn again to perform miracles. The 43-year-old, leaping backwards, plucked a Chiesa lob out of the top hand corner and then, still on the ground, saved Vergassola's effort from the rebound, Bogdani then fired high. Incredible athleticism by the veteran keeper.

In the 68th minute Siena threw caution to the wind and put on another striker Rey Volpato for a midfielder, Foglio.

Siena pushed forward but were denied yet again by the oldest man on the field. A cross from the left was headed down towards the bottom right hand corner by Bogdani but Ballotta unbelievably dived low and saved into corner. The Albanian striker was caught on camera looking at the Lazio keeper with a mix of admiration and disbelief.

At this point Siena tired or maybe simply resigned themselves to Ballotta's superpowers. Lazio had a couple of chances to close the game on the break. Mirante however had been studying the master and pulled off two great saves on Behrami and Rocchi shots. Full time Siena 2 Lazio 3.

A good win for Lazio but a bit harsh on Siena who had played well. Lazio's victory had one main explanation, the eternal youth of Marco Ballotta.

With these three points the Biancocelesti moved up to 6th place, as Chievo had lost 1-4 away to Milan. At this point Lazio occupied the last slot for Europe.

Siena saw their safety cushion reduced to five points as Messina had beaten Treviso 3-1 at home. On the positive side they were still 13th and if they played like today would definitely stay up.

Who played for Siena

Mirante, Negro, Legrottaglie, Portanova, Foglio (68' Volpato), Alberto (75' Tudor), Paro, Vergassola, Molinaro, Chiesa (80' Guzman), Bogdani

Substitutes: Fortin, Falsini, Colonnese, Packer

Manager: De Canio

Who played for Lazio

Ballotta, Oddo, Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri, Behrami, Liverani (85' Mudingayi), Dabo, Mauri (73' Manfredini), Rocchi, Di Canio (46' Tare)

Substitutes: Handanovic, Stendardo, Belleri, Bonanni

Manager: Rossi

Referee: Rizzoli

Goals: 14' Mauri, 22' Rocchi, 24' Vergassola, 40' Chiesa, 50' Dabo

Sources

Lazio Wiki