Rome: Lazio extended its surprising run at the top of the Serie-A table with a 2-1 win over Cagliari on Sunday, with Sergio Floccari scoring one goal and setting up another.
Floccari scored from the edge of the area in the 21st minute at the Stadio Olimpico and then provided a pass that resulted in Stefano Mauri's goal in the 53rd before Alessandro Matri pulled one back for Cagliari in the 59th.
Lazio has won six of its opening eight matches and has 19 points, five ahead of European champion Inter Milan and AC Milan.
"It's still early to talk about the title but it's certainly nice to be up so high," Mauri said. "We've got to stay humble. Let's wait until February-March and then see where we are."
It's the best start in Lazio's history, improving slightly on the 1972-73 and 1999-2000 seasons. Lazio finished third in 1972-73, while in 1999-2000 - under Sven-Goran Eriksson - the Roman club went on to win its second Serie-A title .
Lazio's success has provided a sharp contrast with the struggles of city rival AS Roma, which settled for a 0-0 draw at last-place Parma in the new Serie-A lunchtime fixture, a result which will increase pressure on embattled coach Claudio Ranieri.
Also on Sunday, Juventus forward Vincenzo Iaquinta had a penalty saved in a 0-0 draw at Bologna.
Juventus was awarded a controversial penalty in the 34th when Milos Krasic fell to the ground after slight contact with defender Daniele Portanova. After vehement protests from Bologna, the hosts got some satisfaction when goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano saved Iaquinta's spot kick.
Iaquinta had come on in the 22nd for Brazilian-born Italy forward Amauri, who appeared to have an injury. Viviano has been filling in as the Italy goalkeeper while Gianluigi Buffon recovers from back surgery.
Elsewhere, French forward Cyril Thereau scored his first Serie-A goal in injury time to give Chievo a 2-1 win over Cesena and move the Verona club into fourth place, one point behind Inter and Milan.
In other matches, it was: Genoa 1, Catania 0; Lecce 2, Brescia 1; and Udinese 2, Palermo 1.
Roma has won only two of eight in Serie A and lost 3-1 at home to Basel in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Extending the Giallorossi's media boycott, Ranieri did not speak to reporters after the game, although sporting director Daniele Prade defended the coach.
"He has our unlimited confidence; we haven't searched for anyone else," Prade said, adding that the club's relationship with Ranieri is based on "respect and friendship."
"Roma has to win these games. But we've got to look at the glass as half full," Prade added. "We hadn't gotten any points on the road in many months."
Both teams produced several chances in a fairly balanced match but Ranieri struggled to find the right formula in attack, replacing Francesco Totti with Fabio Simplicio to start the second half and also substituting Mirko Vucinic with Julio Baptista shortly after halftime.
A free kick from Totti missed high in the 36th, extending the captain's scoreless streak to 12 consecutive matches in all competitions since the start of the season.
Parma fans protested the 12:30 p.m. kickoff by distributing panini to one another. Banners read, "You can't sing with your mouth full" and "they don't even let us eat in peace."
Before the match in Rome, the eagle that Lazio has brought out to circle the Stadio Olimpico at home matches this season broke from its routine and landed on the stadium's roof and remained there for most of the first half until its handler climbed up and retrieved it.
Comments
0 comment