MD1: Lazio 2 - 2 Torino

[Jager]

Lazio - Torino

Stadio Olimpico


This match kicks off the new 2007-08 Serie A season and should give an early indication of just what these two sides can aspire to.

Lazio are torn between this opener and the second leg of their Champions League preliminary round with Dinamo Bucharest, to be held in Romania on August 28. The first leg was an ill-tempered 1-1 draw that saw Massimo Mutarelli and Valon Behrami sent off as well as injuries to Emilson Cribari (fractured cheekbone), Guglielmo Stendardo (muscular) and Aleksander Kolarov (shoulder).

Tommaso Rocchi is still struggling with a back problem along with Sebastiano Siviglia, Mourad Meghni and Stefano Mauri. Coach Delio Rossi will have a tricky job on his hands to make up a starting XI and could force Luciano Zauri and Oscar Scaloni into central defence.

Torino face their first test of the campaign and much has changed from the side that barely avoided relegation last year. New boss Walter Novellino brings his tried and tested 4-4-2 system, but it’s possible seven of the starting XI will be making their Serie A debuts for Toro, including Nicola Ventola, Sasa Bjelanovic, Vincenzo Grella and Eugenio Corini.

It will be a special event indeed for Granata goalkeeper Matteo Sereni, who left Lazio this summer amid a haze of insults for the club and President Claudio Lotito.

Last season this game ended 2-0 for the home side with Goran Pandev’s brace, but Toro have not won at the Olimpico since a 2-1 result on November 21, 1993. More reassuringly, though, three of their last five Serie A visits here have ended in a draw.

Keep an eye on: Matteo Sereni (Lazio) – The shot-stopper certainly has a point to prove against his old club, especially as they are struggling to find a replacement for the retired Angelo Peruzzi.

Last season: Lazio 2-0 Torino

Form guide: Lazio (- - - - -) Torino (- - - - -)


Lazio (probable): Ballotta; Behrami, Scaloni, Siviglia, Zauri; Mudingayi, Ledesma, Mutarelli; Mauri; Pandev, Rocchi

Torino (probable): Sereni; Comotto, Natali, Di Loreto, Lanna; Rosina, Corini, Grella, Lazetic; Ventola, Bjelanovic

Ref: To follow...

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[D-Kin]

I can't help think the CL qualifier will be on the minds of the Lazio players, especially with all the recent injuries.

Torino could have a chance here.

[Jager]

ah, I think they will bury them to be honest. Lazio is still not in a groove like the other Italian sides, I expect them to play well and win for their home fans...then carry on to Hungary.

[D-Kin]

Behrami and Scaloni in defence though?

The injuries will take their toll, the likes of Rosina could have a field day.

[Jager]

Possibly, but they are at home, and the Olympico is not an easy hard to play.

[D-Kin]

To be honest I think Torino will have a good season.

Natali, Sereni, Corini, Grella and Ventola are all decent signings. I can't see them being involved in a relegation battle again.

[Jager]

I agree, and they've had one more year together.

[LaVecchiaSignora]

Game time in 2 hours, I will be providing updates!

[Forza_Roma]

Torino should of had a penalty in the first half...from a Lazio hand ball. Lazio were screwed of a goal in the opening minutes of the second half...but scored moments later. it's 2-1 for Lazio now. Torino falling asleep!

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/07 (17.00 UK)
Lazio 2 - 2 Torino
Rosina 34 (T), Pandev 56 (L), Rocchi 61 (L), Vailatti 68 (T)
Stadio Olimpico

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Lazio's injury crisis intensified with Modibo Diakhite's fractured tibia in an entertaining 2-2 draw against Torino.

This match kicked off the new 2007-08 season on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti had their minds on the Champions League preliminary round tie with Dinamo Bucharest and the growing injury list, that included Emilson Cribari, Guglielmo Stendardo and Stefano Mauri. Delio Rossi was forced into fielding a completely reshuffled defence.

Torino boss Walter Novellino has never won on his debut and was hoping to break that taboo after five years at Sampdoria. He wasn't the only new face, as summer arrivals Eugenio Corini, Nicola Ventola, Sasa Bjelanovic and Vincenzo Grella started along with Matteo Sereni, who left Lazio last month in bitter circumstances.

Sereni immediately proved a point with a great point-blank save on Tommaso Rocchi's bullet header after seven minutes. Simone Del Nero also threatened and Gaby Mudingayi swung wide from the edge of the area as Lazio poured forward.

Sereni tipped a scuffed Del Nero strike round the near post, but Toro fought back with Alessandro Rosina and a Corini free kick. The Granata lost Australian international Grella, who hit his head in the opening minute and was eventually forced off by continued dizziness. He was taken to hospital for tests.

Ventola's header whistled wide of the upright, but Goran Pandev's inspired chipped pass was met by Del Nero and another crucial one-handed Sereni save.

Lazio also had to make a substitution for Aleksander Kolarov's upper thigh twinge, making way for former Premiership man Lionel Scaloni, another Serie A debutant.

It was Torino who took the lead with a moment of genius from 'Rosinaldo.' Marco Ballotta was off his line and Rosina immediately placed a sneaky chip over the helpless goalkeeper from outside the area.

Lazio's bad luck continued, as Diakhite' fell over Massimo Mutarelli and suffered a suspected fractured tibia. This meant the only defender left on the bench was Cribari, who had undergone surgery to correct a horrific facial injury - fractured cheekbone that moved his eye socket - just 10 days ago. He had not intended to play, but was forced on by this extraordinary emergency within the squad while wearing a protective mask.

Sereni was almost felled by a fierce Cristian Ledesma rocket from 20 metres. The goalkeeper turned another Ledesma free kick round the post, but Pandev was booked for simulation when he had asked for a laughable penalty.

After the restart Pandev thought he had equalised for Lazio with a low sweeping finish, but the goal was disallowed for a highly debatable offside position from Del Nero's pass.

The goal came three minutes later, though, as Rocchi went round the goalkeeper and the angle was too narrow, but he continued the move and Mudingayi's cross fell to Pandev from seven yards.

The Biancocelesti were dominating the field and turned the scoreline around completely on the hour mark. Rocchi turned his marker Gianluca Comotto with his back to goal on the edge of the area and thumped a precise low finish in at the near post.

Torino also had a goal controversially disallowed. Ballotta fumbled a Tommaso Vailatti free header over the line, but the referee blew the whistle for Nicola Ventola's push on Luciano Zauri.

As with Lazio, moments later the goal did count. Once again Vailatti was left totally unmarked for a free header at the back post. The Toro youth team player was left in acres of space by the confused Biancocelesti defence to score just nine minutes into his Serie A debut.

Pandev wasted an excellent opportunity set up by Rocchi, while Ballotta plucked a Vailatti header out of the air.

Torino ended the match with 10 men, as Comotto picked up a foolish second yellow card for kicking the ball away.


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Lazio: Ballotta; Kolarov (Scaloni 32), Zauri, Diakhitè (Cribari 41), De Silvestri; Mudingayi, Ledesma, Mutarelli; Del Nero (Meghni 70); Pandev, Rocchi

Torino: Sereni; Comotto, Natali (Rubin 62), Di Loreto, Lanna; Corini, Grella (Zanetti 22), Rosina, Barone; Ventola, Bjelanovic (Vailatti 59)

Ref: Celi

Sent off: Comotto 84 (T)

match report.cant say im not smiling in the wake of their draw.since they still have a tough cl qualification game up ahead.

[TheDevil]

disaster of a start to say the least
however that lineup is necessarily weak either
torino will surprise many teams this seasons
they have options in attack
defending is another issue though

[LaVecchiaSignora]

They were suppose to show this match live on FSC today and then all of a sudden decided to just show a replay at 4:30 hrmmm

[LaVecchiaSignora]

WTF Im watching the lazio game right now, and why the fuck is my grandpa playing in goal for lazio...this dbag is like 55 years old it looks like..hes bald wrinkled na dhas man boobs wtf!

[LaVecchiaSignora]

Ballotta is an old dumb bafoon...get him outta that net...he just jumped on top of a ball and then slapped it into the back of his own goal...it wasnt counted because suposidly there was an infrigment of some sort but this guys a fuckin old foogie!

[D-Kin]

I had a feeling this would end a draw.

Well done Toro.