Archive for the ‘Match reports’ Category
Having carefully watched the opening Lazio fixture, I rate as follows the players involved against Sampdoria:
Muslera: 5 – Brilliant until the moment of the second goal; However, can not deserve more as he was to blame for Sampdoria`s second goal;
Biava: 6,5 – The best of three defenders that night. Having to deal with a nasty Cassano all night long is not the easiest things to do. Often would chase Cassano until the middle of the park.
Dias: 6 – Overall a fine appearance by the Brazilian. Booked in the first half, which hampers his game during the rest of the match.
Radu: 5.5 – A pale display from the Romanian against Samp. Not fully fit to a full 90 minutes. We need his best again.
Lichtsteiner: 4.5 – Probably his poorest performance since his arrival to Lazio. Poor crosses, movement and most importantly, caused the penalty which changed the match and which could have been avoided easily.
Ledesma: 6 – Nothing special by Cris. Had a nice shot on goal in the first half and usual ball distribution but with no effect whatsoever.
Matuzalem: 6 – A lot of running and ground covering by Matu, but he failed to materialize his huge workload. No shots on goal, no penetrations in the box which characterize his game.
Del Nero: 6 – Good movements on the left and not bad at all at defending. However, we need more from him when in possession of the ball – perhaps a cross or two here and there and not immediately seek to find Zarate.
Hernanes: 6,5 – A decent match for Hernanes considering his debut in Serie A against a tough opponent like Samp. A nice shot in the first half that skimmed Curci`s goal. Nice passes and vision of the match.
Zarate: 6 – I expected more from Maurito, but he was under pressure each time he had the ball. No space to shoot and test Curci. Occasionally to selfish.
Floccari: 5.5 – Save for a fine header in the first half, Sergia was lost against Samp. He was slow and kind of tired in the season opener. We need much more from him.
Subs:
Cavanda: 6.5 – what a prospect this guy is. He is the future of our right hand side. He is already fit to play and he should be Licht`s natural replacement and not Scaloni. He nearly scored after a massive shot from over 20 meters.
Foggia and Rocchi – not rated [they entered when everything was all over and Lazio had no physical fitness to overcome 2 goals deficit.
Edy Reja: 5 – He is not to blame that we lost but I give him this mark for 2 reasons: needless protest which sent him off and totally stupid substitutions. Why Cavanda for Del Nero ? When you are losing, you don`t take out someone like Zarate who can distract at all times opponent`s defense;
The match at Marassi just ended.
Sampdoria won 2-0 with Cassano scoring from the penalty kick and Guberti who sent a loose ball in Lazio`s net.
An extensive match report tomorrow.
Sampdoria: Curci; Zauri, Gastaldello, Lucchini, Ziegler; Semioli (Mannini 92), Palombo, Dessena; Guberti (Koman 75); Pazzini, Cassano
Lazio: Muslera; Biava, Dias, Radu; Lichtsteiner (Rocchi 74), Ledesma, Matuzalem, Del Nero (Cavanda 57); Hernanes, Zarate (Foggia 69); Floccari
First half
Sampdoria starts better, but only after 6-7 minutes Lazio players assume control of the match and for 35 minutes dominate ball possession and chances. New comer Hernanes shows his intelligence by providing some nice balls in particular by often engaging Lichtsteiner on the right, but the latter than wastes most of the balls.
In this frame, our players had 3 chances all of which could have easily be concerted into goals:
First Zarate dribbles on the left and finds Ledesma who shots few inches from the right post of Curci, pretty close indeed.
Minutes after, it is Hernanes` chance to shoot. The ball goes the same way as the one shot by Ledesma.
Third chance came after a cross from the left side, Floccari heads it an excellent way by Curci somehow manages to defend it.
A pretty Lazio team in the first half with only a goal missing to crown the domination.
Second half
It begins with Lazio again fully dominating and attacking from both sides. This last for 5-6 minutes when the host team somehow gets back into the game. It is evident that they were better physically prepared as they started training earlier due to engagement in European competitions.
And then comes the moment that changed the match: after a cross from the right side, Lichtsteiner brings down Dessena and the referee awards penalty kick. One could argue that it was a clean duel in the air. Reja complains and gets sent off as a consequence. Cassano converts the goal.
And while Lazio players fail to find the lost ground, after another corner kick from the rights side, Muslera leaves the goal to clear the ball but only to give the ball to Guberti who lobs it through out entire defense and 2-0.
Lazio players were following that unable to press and endanger the lead of Sampdoria. Several substitutions were made but to no avail. Lazio goes down in the first outing of the season and loses but provides a fine display which is encouraging.
The so long awaited win at Napoli finally arrived.
Tomassi Rocchi ented in the second half for Zarate and stroke twice in 8 minute to bring valuable points to Lazio, in our quest for a UEFA Cup place.
The first half was an average football match, with both teams having some chances, but failed to turn them into goals. Lavezzi was very close to score, but a stunning Muslera saved our net. Delio Rossi started with Muslera, Lichtsteiner, Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov; Brocchi, Ledesma, Matuzalem and Foggia in the middle and Pandev and Zarate up front. Rocchi, Mauri and De Silvestri entered for Zarate, Foggia and Matuzalem in the second half.
In the second half, Napoli entered more agressively, but it cost them the points, as they made some mistakes in defense, which were smartly used by Tommaso Rocchi.
I should mention that this one was Muslera`s best performance this season, as he made some incredible saves – 1 in the first half, and 3 in ths second. He is the real hero for our team this match. Now with these three points (and with Fiorentinas defeat at home), we are only 4 points from Genoa and roma, and 5 from a CL spot, Fiorentina. We have a favorable draw in the next few matches starting with Chievo at hom. Keep up the good work ragazzi. Photos and goals to follow.
Once again we play at the most hated and disliked hour for me. Saturday at 6 PM. We once again open the Serie A week.
When we lost to Bologna in the first leg, that was one fo the most unexpected defeats for me, especially with such a large margin. Let me remind you that we were 3-0 down before half an hour had past. Also, Bologna were bottom of the table and we served as a team to bouce back.
Today, we meet Bologna after our last week win against Lecce and that gives me a dose of optimism. Bologna has so many ex-Lazio players and they will be eager to show to our management and us fans that we were wrong to offload them.
With regards to our team that will face Bologna today, it will be the same as the team that beat Lecce last week. There were writing in the papers that Delio Rossi finally found the right balance in attack when he fielded Foggia – Zarate and Pandev. Also, the come back of Matuzalem and his partnership with Ledesma gives some optimism. At the end, I really hope we continue with another win.
Probables
Lazio (4-4-2): Muslera; Lichtsteiner, Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov ; Brocchi, Ledesma, Matuzalem, Foggia ; Zarate, Pandev. Carrizo, Rozehnal, Radu, De Silvestri, Dabo, Mauri, Rocchi.A disposizione: Coach: Rossi
Bologna (4-5-1): Antonioli; Belleri, Britos, Terzi, Lanna ; Valiani , Mingazzini, Volpi, Mudingayi, Bombardini; Di Vaio. A disposizione: Colombo, Zenoni, Mutarelli, Coelho, Amoroso, Bernacci, Marazzina.
Coach: Mihajlovic
I did not manage to watch the match, like the majority of Lazio fans. However, I am glad to do that as long as we win. There was a funny live stream by a guy at Justin.tv. At one point, he even showed his arse (hhahahaha).
Never mind, since I did not watch the match and I can not comment, I will post the match comment from Channel 4, in hope that I will be able to watch Lazio – Bologna and write my own thoughts. Let me just say that Delio Rossi started with the following line up: Muslera, Lichsteiner, Cribari, Siviglia, Kolarov; Brocchi, Ledesma, Matuzalem; Foggia, Zarate, Pandev.
Lecce hit the woodwork three times, but Lazio emerged with the points thanks to Pasquale Foggia and an Aleksandr Kolarov blockbuster.
Delio Rossi returned to face his former club and both were under pressure to get points. Lecce had lost two on the trot and were in 17th place, while Lazio plummeted down the standings after one point from five. Simone Del Nero, Mourad Meghni and Stefano Mauri were missing for the visitors, while Ndiaye Papa Waigo and Javier Castillo made up Lecce’s injury list.
The Aquile’s last win at the Via del Mare was in 2003-04 and they faced former Lazio defender Guglielmo Stendardo.
After just 18 seconds Lecce hit the post! Fabio Caserta threaded a through ball in for Daniele Cacia, whose angled drive thumped the base of the upright.
Lazio responded seven minutes later with Mauro Zarate smacking a drive from the edge of the box on to the crossbar with Francesco Benussi beaten.
The goal was in the air and Pasquale Foggia broke the deadlock with a bit of luck. The cross came in from the right and his volley from the edge of the box was impressive, but ultimately beat the goalkeeper thanks to a deflection off ex-Lazio defender Stendardo.
Goran Pandev put the ball in the back of the net from Cristian Brocchi’s cross as the ball ricocheted around the box, but it was disallowed for an offside position. However, replays show Pandev was behind the line of the ball and therefore the goal should have been valid.
Simone Tiribocchi managed to spin between three defenders just inside the area, but his angled drive clipped the base of the upright, as Lecce hit the woodwork for the second time,
Zarate’s first touch let him down, allowing Benussi to smother, while the Argentine also cut back from the byline to flash across the face of goal.
Nestor Muslera punched away Luca Ariatti’s left-foot effort, but Lazio doubled their lead straight after the restart.
Aleksandr Kolarov did it all by himself, cutting in from the left and smashing a fantastic strike across the face of goal into the far top corner from a tight angle.
Lecce were still in it, though, as Cacia got in front of Sebastiano Siviglia to nod on to the side-netting and Ariatti’s strike was charged down.
Both goalkeepers impressed late on, as Muslera anticipated Stendardo from point-blank range and Benussi parried Foggia’s counter-attack.
The Salentini were very unlucky, as late on Ariatti’s thunderbolt from 20 metres cracked against the frame of the goal for the third time.