Serie A' MD28: Lazio - Udinese [15-03-08]

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 28 - 15/3/08 (17.00 UK)
Udinese - Lazio

Stadio Friuli

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Whenever these sides meet fans are guaranteed a game full of twists and turns, offering a microcosm of their respective seasons.

The Zebrette started their campaign well and were challenging for a Champions League spot until an indifferent January and February left Pasquale Marino’s boys seven points adrift of fourth placed Fiorentina.

Udinese’s attacking assets are well publicised. Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella have made the net bulge 20 times already in 2007-08, but it is their young Slovenian goalkeeper Samir Handanovic who has been in-form of late.

The 23-year-old has had no problem replacing the Bianconeri’s previous shot-stopper, Morgan De Sanctis, who left for Sevilla in the summer, and has contributed as many points to Udinese’s tally as their front-page-grabbing strikers. Handanovic made a string of fine saves to keep Palermo at bay on Saturday, ensuring the game ended 1-1.

Lazio, by contrast, began woefully by collecting only 10 points from their first 10 games. The Champions League group stages and some goalkeeping confusion took their toll, but since the turn of the year the Aquilotti have become more consistent and are playing some thrilling attacking football.

The acquisition of Rolando Bianchi from Manchester City in January has inspired Dellio Rossi to try an exhilarating 4-3-1-2 system. The deployment of Macedonian Goran Pandev in the hole behind the strikers has made great use of his exquisite technique. In Valon Behrami and Daniel Radu, Lazio have a pair of enterprising full-backs capable of supplying Bianchi and Rocchi with more than enough ball to make them happy.

Rocchi and Pandev got on the scoresheet at the weekend in the Rome outfit’s 2-0 win against Livorno. The couple have netted 62 per cent of Lazio’s goals this season, 19 of their 31.

The spring has been a fruitful period for the Aquilotti in recent seasons. Rossi’s men beat Udinese 4-2 at Friuli last March while on their run of eight consecutive victories which ultimately landed them in the Champions League.

Rocchi has scored three in his last three matches against the Zebrette which will worry Marino as his side have only won one of their five fixtures at Friuli in 2008.

Keep an eye on: Goran Pandev (Lazio) – The elegant 24-year-old Macedonian has come into his own in this campaign, becoming the team’s main supplier of goals after Tommaso Rocchi’s injury-plagued season. He scored 11 last year and has already netted 10 with 11 games still to play. No wonder Bayern Munich tried to tempt Lazio President Claudio Lotito with a £26m bid for his services in the summer.

Last season: Udinese 2-4 Lazio

Form guide: Udinese (W L L W D) Lazio (W L W D W)


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Udinese (probable): Handanovic; Coda, Felipe, Siqueira; Ferronetti, D’Agostino, Inler, Isla; Pepe, Quagliarella, Di Natale

Lazio (probable): Ballotta; Behrami, Siviglia, Cribari, Radu; Dabo, Ledesma, Manfredini; Pandev; Rocchi, Bianchi

Ref: To follow...

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 28 - 15/3/08 (17.00 UK)
Udinese 2 - 2 Lazio
Rocchi 11 (L), Ferronetti 56 (U), Ledesma 80 (L), Di Natale 86 (U)
Stadio Friuli

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Antonio Di Natale's solo effort fought back to earn Udinese a 2-2 draw with Lazio, but Simone Pepe had one of the misses of the season.

These sides continued their search for consistency and the Biancocelesti were starting to really break in their trident attack. Lazio won here 4-2 last season and had an excellent Friuli record overall of 11 wins, seven draws and 10 defeats.

Both teams had hefty injury lists with Chris Obodo, Gyan Asamoah, Cristian Zapata, Luciano Zauri, Massimo Mutarelli, Simone Del Nero and Fabio Firmani sidelined.

The visitors got off to a strong start as Rolando Bianchi's free header from a corner kick was off target, then the former Manchester City man's cross almost created a goal for Mourad Meghni, but it was intercepted by Dias Felipe.

The goal was in the air and it came on 11 minutes, but the Udinese defence left a lot to be desired. Felipe was surprised by a deflected Cristian Ledesma pass and Tommaso Rocchi was clear on goal, keeping his cool to dribble round the 'keeper. It was Rocchi's fourth goal in as many games against Udinese.

Samir Handanovic had to sprint out to clear off Bianchi's feet outside the box. The Friulani were struggling badly and Mauricio Isla replaced the injured Gaetano D'Agostino.

Udinese tried to push forward, but were ineffective, and at the other end Handanovic had his palms stung by a fierce Ledesma snapshot from 20 metres.

Marco Ballotta finally had to make a save after 43 minutes on Antonio Di Natale's scuffed strike.

Udinese grabbed an equaliser after the restart, but needed a set piece to do it. Simone Pepe's taut corner kick found Gokhan Inler's header and though Gaby Mudingayi managed to clear off the line, it fell to Damiano Ferronetti. It was his first Serie A goal after 51 appearances.

Bianchi's audacious snapshot was over, but psychologically the goal changed the game, as the Friulani started to pour forward and Ballotta captured a Pepe header.

Lazio had a fantastic opportunity when a corner was redirected to the back post and Rocchi surged past his marker, but flashed an angled drive across the face of goal.

Ballotta was alert to pluck an Antonio Di Natale effort from six yards as Fabio Quagliarella got down the left channel.

Ighli Tare was about to replace Bianchi, but defender Radu pulled up with a muscular problem and so the final substitution was Aleksander Kolarov.

Quagliarella almost scored one of the goals of the season when he controlled a long pass with his chest, spun round between two defenders and placed the low drive inches past the near post.

It proved the wake-up call Lazio needed, as less than 30 seconds later Ledesma unleashed a rocket with his powerful right foot from 25 metres that swept past Handanovic.

The goal came against the run of play and Udinese were shell-shocked, but fought straight back for 2-2. Di Natale's splendid first touch on a volleyed Pepe assist allowed him to whizz past Cribari and place an angled drive into the far bottom corner.

Udinese should have won it in stoppages as Antonio Floro Flores shrugged off two defenders and smartly crossed to the totally unmarked Pepe, who incredibly fired wide from eight yards! The bench could barely believe their eyes after what has to be one of the misses of the campaign.


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Udinese: Handanovic; Zapotocny (Floro Flores 84), Felipe, Lukovic; Ferronetti (Mesto 70), Inler, D’Agostino (Isla 30), Dossena; Pepe, Quagliarella, Di Natale

Lazio: Ballotta; Behrami, Siviglia, Cribari, Radu (Kolarov 78); Mudingayi (Dabo 62), Ledesma, Manfredini; Meghni (Vignaroli 53); Bianchi, Rocchi

Ref: Tommasi

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