Catani 1-0 Lazio

Serie A Week 29- 21/3/09 (17.00 UK)
Catania 1 - 0 Lazio
Paolucci 24 (C)
Michele Paolucci's goal proved enough to beat Lazio, as Catania goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri saved a Goran Pandev penalty. These two teams are plagued by inconsistency this season, as the Biancocelesti won three on the trot before a 3-0 home humiliation at the hands of Chievo last Sunday. Catania managed to win 4-0 at Palermo then lose in Sicily to Siena. The visitors missed Ousmane Dabo, Francelino Matuzalem and the suspended Aleksandr Kolarov, while Davide Baiocco and Taka Morimoto were out for Catania. Lazio's record here was of six defeats, two draws and just one win in 1961, but surprisingly they dropped Mauro Zarate to the bench. Goran Pandev shinned over from a good position, while Giuseppe Mascara curled two free kicks just inches past the crossbar. Catania had the better chances and took the lead after 24 minutes. It was a classic counter-attack and one created almost by accident, as Mascara threaded through for Pablo Ledesma's dreadful scuffed shot, which turned into an assist for Michele Paolucci at the back post. It was his seventh of the season, a new personal best in Serie A. Sebastiano Siviglia was furious with Paolucci for a supposed elbow and the referee had to separate them. Mascara is accustomed to scoring incredible goals and tried to curl in directly from the corner flag, just clipping the crossbar. Lazio had few opportunities, but threatened an equaliser in first half stoppages when Pasquale Foggia powered a header inches wide of the far upright. Stefan Lichtsteiner's shot took a deflection off Ciro Capuano so it swung towards the near bottom corner, but Albano Bizzarri did brilliantly to readjust his position and parry. That small spell of pressure boosted Lazio's confidence and they were more aggressive at the start of the second half. Only a fantastic one-handed save from Bizzarri prevented Cristian Ledesma's free kick from going under the bar. On the counter Siviglia needed a crucial header to intercept the cross for Paolucci at the back post, then Nando Muslera smothered a Paolucci low drive on the counter. Christian Manfredini made way for Stefano Mauri and the 4-3-1-2 system, but Catania continued to have chances on the counter with Paolucci firing wide of the near post. Lazio were awarded a penalty on the hour mark, as Pandev was nudged by Silvestre as he was about to pull the trigger, the Catania defender mistiming his challenge. The Macedonian got back up to take the spot-kick, but Bizzarri got the corner to his left and palmed it off the line! Tommaso Rocchi only got a weak header to Pandev's chipped ball over the defence, while Zarate replaced the player whose penalty was saved. Rocchi managed to test Bizzarri with an angled drive that was fingertipped round the far post. Martinez tried to dispossess Emilson Cribari and burst into the box, but he seemed to lose his balance rather than be pushed, so the referee waved away timid penalty appeals.