Lazio-Catania: Where Did That Come From?

By: Martha | December 8th, 2007

Eeeech. I have no idea exactly how it happened, but Lazio just turned in a convincing win over a team above them in the table, and looked awfully good for the first hour or so. (I know it’s only Catania and that they were missing their leading scorers, but still. Baby steps.) Though the match virtually opened with Christian Terlizzi hitting the crossbar of Marco Ballotta’s goal, Lazio turned around and took the lead minutes later, when Tommaso Rocchi, who played a great match, won a free kick and then scored with a glancing header when Cristian Ledesma swung the ball in.

The goal seemed to give Lazio confidence, because they looked by the far the better team for the rest of the half, playing all sorts of pretty, one-touch football around the box and defending fiercely in the midfield, forcing the visitors into frequent giveaways. Were it not for the rust still on Massimo Mutarelli after a three game ban, Lazio would have doubled their lead before halftime when Mourad Meghni played him in alone, but Mutarelli screwed his shot badly wide. There was, of course, the requisite excitement at the other end, thanks to Ballotta completely missing when he tried to stop a back pass. Luckily, he was well outside his box when it happened, and had time to scramble back and hoof the ball away before a Catania player could get to it. (He raised his arms in a sort of combined mock-cheer and apology, but the Lazio supporters were not amused.)

The home side started the second half as strong as they’d ended the first (apart from the fact that Lorenzo De Silvestri, while still defending well, had totally lost the ability to pass to his own team), and had no problem containing Catania. That began to change, however, as Lazio’s tired legs started to show and they became increasingly slopping in their own end. By about the 70th minute, it was Katy Bar the Door, and Catania were all over them and probably should have equalized with one of their several corners. Juan Manuel Vargas wasn’t helping his team’s attack with his insistence on teeing the ball up from insanely long range but, given Ballotta’s recent difficulties, those attempts probably be understood.

The onslaught continued for about 10 minutes before Lazio pulled things together and were able to gain a bit of possession; their cause was helped by the sending off of Gionatha Spinesi, who earned a straight red for speaking a bit too harshly to the referee. After that, Catania very much faded from the game, and substitute Goran Padev put it away for good when he took a good through pass from Ledesma and beat two defenders to slot the ball home just before the final whistle. And now, suddenly, Lazio will go to Madrid with a bit of hope. Who would have thought?

Also: Lazio had a sponsor today, and it looked familiar enough to me that I realize they’ve worn their logo in other matches this season. Still no idea why their shirts were sponsor-free on Wednesday, though. And, speaking of kits, why has a team whose colors are blue and red taken to wearing bright orange as their third kit? I mean, UGH.