Lazio v Fiorentina: Blech.

By: Martha | November 3rd, 2007

Stupid eyepointy bullshit. A 1-0 win for Fiorentina from a game with not much in it. A lot of bad touches combined with some bad decisions and a lot of tired legs for a ragged, pretty boring away win for the Viola.

Fiorentina rested Adrian Mutu for the first time in months (he played only the last 23 minutes) and, despite what it said on paper, went out in a 4-4-2 formation, content to sit in far more than they do at home. Nevertheless, the visitors had some good moments in the first half, and played some lovely one-touch football through the midfield — often involving Montolivo, who was more active than he’s been a in couple games — albeit to little effect. Neither team forced a tought save out of the other’s keeper than I can recall, and the only goal came from a pair of dreadful errors in the Lazio defense: Cribari (mask-free!) headed the ball back to the on-rushing Bellotta, who had to turn on his heel and chase back to keep it from going out for a corner. He slid to keep it in but went beyond the ball and left it on the pitch; even Giampaolo Pazzini is capable to taking advantage of that sort of gift, and the Viola took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Mourad Meghni came on for Manfredini as the second half began, and Lazio’s attack immediately looked better. They kept the ball in the Viola end and, with Stephen Makinwa eating up Pasqual down Fiorentina’s left side, the home team essentially controlled the second half. Apart from one fantastic late save on Massimo Mutarelli, though, Frey still didn’t have too much to do. If Lazio had only been a bit sharper and perhaps a bi more selfish around the box, they could (and probably should) have taken at least a point from the match.

Despite the tidy three points for Fiorentina, neither team left the match real happy: Both Gamerbini and Kuzmanovic picking up injuries for the Viola, and Lazio will lose Mutarelli (one of their few healthy regulars) for the Inter match, because he got a second yellow for dissent right before time, and then waited in the tunnel to continue his animated discussion with the referee after the whistle blew, which will only make things worse.