Coppa Italia: Lazio - Napoli [19-12-07]

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Napoli fans have been banned from attending the game.

This is the first leg of the last 16.

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Contini’s keen on Coppa Monday 17 December, 2007

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Napoli face Lazio in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday evening and midfielder Matteo Contini expects dedication from his teammates.

The Vesuviani erased memories of a 5-1 demolition at Atalanta with a 1-1 draw against Siena and could have taken all three points.

“We have regained our composure and we are showing character and determination,” former Parma man Contini enthused.

“After yesterday’s battle we can safely say that the dark day in Bergamo is in the past and can be forgotten.

“We played very well and the boss did a great job in preparing us for the game. We are really satisfied with the mentality we are displaying on the pitch.”

While many sides have struggled to find motivation for the Coppa Italia, Contini insists that Napoli see it as an important objective.

“We want to go further in the Coppa Italia,” he insisted. “It will be two tough legs because Lazio are amongst the most competitive sides in the championship.

“But we want to go through so much so that we can take on the best sides in a competition that is fascinating, especially for us newly promoted teams

“On Wednesday we will be on form and focused to not give anything away ahead of the second leg.”

Contini has won plaudits since arriving from the Ducali in the summer, but he concluded by claiming that team spirit is the key at the Stadio San Paolo.

“It’s nice to be getting praise, even if people at Napoli have always shown their faith in me,” he said.

“What matters to me most of all is the way that the side performs – individuals only count to a certain extent. The team is all about having everyone making sacrifices and pulling their weight.”

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It finished 2-1 to Lazio.

Dalla Bona,De Silvestri and Baronio with the goals.

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Coppa: Lazio squeeze out Napoli Wednesday 19 December, 2007

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Lazio completed their comeback to defeat Napoli 2-1 at the Olimpico, but it leaves qualification wide open.

The first leg of this Coppa Italia Fourth Round was a tight and entertaining affair with both teams going for the victory. As they have struggled in Serie A this season, the trophy is possibly their best chance of ensuring a UEFA Cup spot.

Goran Pandev failed to make the most of an early Lorenzo De Silvestri assist, then Mourad Meghni went off injured. This was soon followed by another blow for the Biancocelesti, as Napoli took a surprise lead when Roberto Sosa held up Ruben Maldonado’s cross for Sam Dalla Bona’s angled drive.

Goalkeeper Matteo Gianello denied Aleksandar Kolarov and Christian Manfredini’s volley skimmed the bar, but the home side struggled to make much of an impact until De Silvestri’s equaliser on 66 minutes. Kolarov was again involved, his free kick beaten away by Gianello into the path of De Silvestri.

In the space of five minutes Lazio had overturned the result completely from another set play. This time Roberto Baronio unleashed a magnificent long-range free kick into the very top corner of the net at the near post.

There was a real scare before the final whistle, as Paolo Cannavaro spun round on a corner for a volley that cracked against the crossbar.

This result leaves qualification for the quarter-finals wide open, as Napoli have their away goal and will have home advantage at the San Paolo in January.

Lazio 2-1 Napoli
Scorers: Dalla Bona 28 (N), De Silvestri 66 (L), Baronio 71 (L)
Lazio: Muslera; De Silvestri, Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov; Firmani (Mutarelli 46), Baronio, Manfredini; Meghni (Mauri 21); Pandev (Makinwa 75), Tare
Napoli: Gianello; Maldonado, Cannavaro, Contini; Grava, Montervino, Blasi, Dalla Bona (Hamsik 52), Rullo (Savini 75); Sosa, Calaiò (Lavezzi 59)
Ref: Stefanini

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Coppa: Lazio squeeze past Napoli Thursday 17 January, 2008

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Lazio are through to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw with Napoli, but they were made to sweat at the Stadio San Paolo.

The capital club are enduring a horror season and are looking to the Cup as a relief from their Serie A misery.

Delio Rossi’s side took a 1-0 advantage to Naples, but knew they were in for a stiff test after Vesuviani boss Edy Reja described the Coppa as “Napoli’s Champions League.”

An unspectacular first half was played at a frenetic pace, but saw few incidents of real note.

Lazio saw a goal disallowed after 19 minutes, but Massimo Mutarelli had no complaints as he was clearly offside from Valon Behrami’s pass.

Albanian veteran marksman Igli Tare came close after half an hour when his effort was tipped away for a corner by Napoli ‘keeper Matteo Gianello.

The visitors seemed to be cruising into the quarter-finals when Tare rose to head home a Cristian Ledesma free-kick after 55 minutes to hand Lazio a 2-0 aggregate lead.

However, Napoli were spurred into life and Uruguayan custodian Fernando Muslera had to make a series of spectacular saves to deny Emanuel Calaio and substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Napoli got the breakthrough they deserved when Maurizio Domizzi found the net at the second attempt after a Lavezzi cross evaded Marcelo Zalayeta.

The hosts continued to press, but it wasn’t to be and Lazio have booked their place against Fiorentina in the quarter-finals.

Napoli 1-1 Lazio (1-2 on agg.)
Scorers: Tare 55 (L), Domizzi 79 (N)
Napoli: Gianello; Contini, Cannavaro, Domizzi; Grava (Lavezzi 63), Blasi, Dalla Bona (Sosa 86), Rullo (Garics 63), Gargano; Calaio, Zalayeta
Lazio: Muslera; De Silvestri, Siviglia (Stendardo 52), Cribari, Zauri (Kolarov 56); Behrami, Mutarelli (Manfredini 46), Ledesma, Mauri; Vignaroli, Tare

another squeeze in apparently

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Napoli chief blasts beaten side Friday 18 January, 2008

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Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis was livid after the Azzurri exited the Coppa Italia last night and hit out at the team and Coach.

The Vesuviani had set their hearts on Cup glory in their first season back in the top flight, but they came unstuck against Lazio.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Partenopei conceded at the Stadio San Paolo and Maurizio Domizzi’s late goal was too little too late.

“We really wanted to win partly because the Coppa Italia can get you into Europe. But evidently someone didn’t see it in the same way,” De Laurentiis boomed.

“Certainly if you want to lose a game you would play like Napoli did tonight.

“You want to play like that? Fine, but make sure you win. I’m a true Neapolitan – you always have to win.

“The fact is that if we had played properly from the start it would have been different – it wasn’t about the changes that were made in the second half after we were a goal down.

"If you want to win against a team like Lazio, you can’t play like that. We needed to show more energy and to look angrier out there. Evidently, Claudio Lotito spoke to the players while I didn’t.”

De Laurentiis’ comments will increase the pressure on Coach Edy Reja and also increase speculation that Napoli’s supremo will turn to the market.

“I want to buy someone and I would like to bring in two wingers, but they tell me that we are doing fine and that I should just shut up and watch,” he explained.

“However, this game is over now and I’m thinking about getting to 38 points – or survival.”

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Reja defends Coppa effort Friday 18 January, 2008

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Edy Reja has defended his Napoli side after President Aurelio De Laurentiis’ outburst following their Coppa Italia exit.

The Vesuviani were beaten on aggregate after a 1-1 draw at the Stadio San Paolo and the disappointment was obvious at the final whistle.

While President De Laurentiis hit out at the way his men played and believed that their approach was wrong, Reja took encouragement from their efforts.

“Their goal came from a set-piece and was down to a lack of concentration in our defence,” he admitted.

“We ran the game and we had our opportunities to win. Fernando Muslera made a fantastic save, but unfortunately we didn’t make the most of the ball we had.

“We had lots of chances, but it wouldn’t happen for us. No doubt the lads gave their all.”

Reja and his side must now prepare to travel to Rome to face the Biancocelesti in the League and the 62-year-old tactician expects his side to be hungry for the three points.

“On Sunday we will try and get revenge,” he promised. “We like our chances.”

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