Post by Taxigirl on Jan 13, 2006 9:26:33 GMT
www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jan12h.html
Lazio made hard work of their Italian Cup match away to lowly Cittadella on Thursday, but qualified for the quarter-finals despite being outplayed for virtually the entirety of this second leg clash.
The Biancocelesti took a 2-0 lead into the away leg at the Stadio Tombolato, but it was the Serie C1 side who had the better of things, particularly in the first half.
Indeed the home side should have gone ahead after just seven minutes when Marco Ballotta stretched to keep out an effort from Joachim De Gaspari.
More was to come from the Veneto outfit as Delio Rossi’s side struggled to contain the surging runs of Alessio Sestu and the set-pieces of Stefano Ghirardello, whose spectacular effort on the half-hour mark kept the busy Ballotta on his toes.
Lazio simply couldn’t get in the game before the break and the visitors had another chance on 37 minutes when De Gaspari’s header narrowly missed the target. Alberto Marchesan followed suit in similar fashion steering a corner just over the bar on the stroke of half-time.
Eight minutes into the second half and the home side had another chance, Marchesan pouncing on a loose ball in a goalmouth scramble only to see his effort deflected wide.
The Venetian minnows continued to threaten from set-pieces and high balls but failed to make the vital breakthrough, defender Andrea Milani coming closest three minutes from time with a shot that Ballotta fumbled but somehow managed to turn wide.
Ultimately, the Roman side won through without so much as attempting to play the sort of attacking football that has signified their recent upturn in fortunes. Ousmane Dabo’s injury-time effort was the Roman club’s only attempt at goal.
Cittadella 0-0 Lazio (0-2 on agg)
Lazio made hard work of their Italian Cup match away to lowly Cittadella on Thursday, but qualified for the quarter-finals despite being outplayed for virtually the entirety of this second leg clash.
The Biancocelesti took a 2-0 lead into the away leg at the Stadio Tombolato, but it was the Serie C1 side who had the better of things, particularly in the first half.
Indeed the home side should have gone ahead after just seven minutes when Marco Ballotta stretched to keep out an effort from Joachim De Gaspari.
More was to come from the Veneto outfit as Delio Rossi’s side struggled to contain the surging runs of Alessio Sestu and the set-pieces of Stefano Ghirardello, whose spectacular effort on the half-hour mark kept the busy Ballotta on his toes.
Lazio simply couldn’t get in the game before the break and the visitors had another chance on 37 minutes when De Gaspari’s header narrowly missed the target. Alberto Marchesan followed suit in similar fashion steering a corner just over the bar on the stroke of half-time.
Eight minutes into the second half and the home side had another chance, Marchesan pouncing on a loose ball in a goalmouth scramble only to see his effort deflected wide.
The Venetian minnows continued to threaten from set-pieces and high balls but failed to make the vital breakthrough, defender Andrea Milani coming closest three minutes from time with a shot that Ballotta fumbled but somehow managed to turn wide.
Ultimately, the Roman side won through without so much as attempting to play the sort of attacking football that has signified their recent upturn in fortunes. Ousmane Dabo’s injury-time effort was the Roman club’s only attempt at goal.
Cittadella 0-0 Lazio (0-2 on agg)