Goran Pandev and Tommaso Rocchi valiantly fought back from 1-0 down to beat Juventus 2-1 in the Coppa Italia semi-final.
Both sides rotated their squads to a degree, as the Biancocelesti were without the suspended Mauro Zarate and Amauri forged a new partnership with Vincenzo Iaquinta. Not only the Coppa Italia was at stake here, as just by getting to the Final - assuming Inter beat Sampdoria - Lazio would qualify for the UEFA Cup because the other contenders are already in the Champions League.
In the opening 120 seconds Iaquinta redirected a Marco Marchionni effort on to the side-netting, then after a period of Lazio pressure, Iaquinta tested Nando Muslera from Pavel Nedved's pass.
A precise but central Tommaso Rocchi volley was straight at Alex Manninger, but after 18 minutes Iaquinta was furious when his goal was disallowed for an extremely tight offside decision. Replays suggest the Juventus striker was probably level when Tiago Mendes released the through ball.
Francelino Matuzalem's deflected shot flashed across the face of goal and a long-range Aleksandr Kolarov free kick whistled wide.
Juventus took the lead for a potentially decisive away goal on 34 minutes. Manfredini cleared a cross straight to Marchionni just inside the area, who bounced it on his knee and hit the half-volley which took a deflection on its way past Muslera.
Lazio went very close to an equaliser moments later, as Rocchi let the long ball fall over his shoulder and his strike was beaten away by Alex Manninger at full stretch. Manninger flew across his goal to palm a wonderful Cristian Ledesma free kick off the line.
Momo Sissoko was booked and will be suspended for the second leg in Turin and Rocchi's angled drive was neither a shot nor an assist for Pasquale Foggia at the back post. Nedved threaded through for Marchionni's charged down effort from seven yards.
After the restart Rocchi came sliding on to Manfredini's cross to turn it wide of the near post and Stefano Mauri drilled off target following a poor clearance. Lazio were pouring forward and equalised despite Manninger's best efforts.
The Austrian goalkeeper stuck out a leg to parry Kolarov's strike, but the ball fell to Pandev, who spun round Claudio Marchisio to slot into the bottom corner.
Amauri's counter was charged down in the box, but the Biancocelesti had the wind in their sails and a curling Foggia gem was fingertipped over the bar, while another Foggia stunner practically from the byline thumped the bar and ricocheted on to Manninger.
Foggia spread the play for Mauri, whose angled drive shaved the far post with Manninger rooted to the spot. The goal was coming and Rocchi turned the game around. He out-paced Giorgio Chiellini through the middle and toe-poked Matuzalem's through ball past Manninger.
Lazio earn their first home victory over Juventus since the Coppa Italia in 2004, although anything could still happen in the second leg in Turin on April 22.
Lazio 2-1 Juventus
Scorers: Marchionni 34 (J), Pandev 65 (L), Rocchi 78 (L)
Lazio: Muslera; Lichtsteiner (De Silvestri 79), Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov; Manfredini (Mauri 53), Ledesma, Matuzalem; Foggia (Brocchi 85); Pandev, Rocchi
Juventus: Manninger; Grygera, Mellberg, Chiellini, Molinaro; Marchionni, Sissoko (Marchisio 58), Tiago (Poulsen 69), Nedved; Amauri (Trezeguet 79), Iaquinta
Ref: Tagliavento
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
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