Sunday March 6, 2011 Day 28 Finished Stadio Olimpico

Lazio 2 - 0 Palermo

  • Sculli 7’, 18’

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  1. Sculli double downs Palermo

    Sculli double downs Palermo

    Lazio strengthened their challenge for Champions League football next year with a comfortable 2-0 win over Palermo at the Stadio Olimpico. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Lazio
    • Palermo
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    • 90+4' There's the final whistle, and it signifies the end of a very, very comfortable evening for Lazio. Sculli's two early goals set them on their way, and Palermo never looked like coming back.
    • 90+2' Balzaretti on the attack for Palermo now, he looks to pull it back for Pastore, who is simply crowded out by a sea of light blue shirts.
    • 90+1' Four minutes' stoppage time to be added.
    • 90' Garrido is on for Matuzalem as Lazio run the clock down.
    • 89' For all their possession, Palermo have done pretty much nothing with the ball tonight, and even when they have managed to put a fine delivery into the Lazio area, there has been nobody there to turn it home.
    • 88' Munoz is down with a head injury. His side have used up their three subs, so he's going to have to soldier on regardless.
    • 87' Lazio are stroking the ball around their defence very comfortably now. They're heading back into fourth position tonight, and Palermo's poor run will continue.
    • 86' Hmmm...Muslera appears to be wearing a snood! He'd better hope Sepp Blatter isn't watching. The FIFA president announced yesterday that snoods will be outlawed.
    • 85' That's yet another example of a ball in the Lazio penalty area waiting to be attacked, and not a pink shirt in sight doing so.
    • 84' Cassani puts a decent ball into the Lazio area, two Lazio players attack it at once, and fortunately for them Muslera is on his toes to pounce on the loose ball.
    • 83' Perhaps out of frustration from missing that chance, Stendardo gives away a needless foul and is booked.
    • 82' Ledesma puts the ball back into the area beautifully for Stendardo...WHO MISCUES HIS HEADER WIDE FROM A GLORIOUS POSITION!!! That should have sealed it right there.
    • 81' Zarate with the corner, though it doesn't get past Magliaccio at the near post.
    • 80' Ledesma goes for goal...and Sirigu fists the ball over for a corner. He should perhaps have caught that one.
    • 79' Liverani trips Bresciano right on the edge of the area, and Lazio have a free-kick in an inviting position. Liverani is booked for that challenge.
    • 78' The Australian Mark Bresciano replaces Hernanes now for Lazio.
    • 77' Acquah is on for Ilicic for Palermo.
    • 76' Scaloni is booked for a late challenge on Nocerino in midfield.
    • 74' Floccari earns Lazio their first corner of the seocnd half. Zarate swings it in, it comes back in from Gonzalez on the far side, though his looping header is claimed confidently by Sirigu.
    • 73' Pastore worms his way through the Lazio defence and gets in behind them for the first time in this second half, he puts a dangerous ball across the six-yard box...but there's nobody there at the back post waiting to pounce!!! Palermo simply must commit more men forward when in possession!
    • 71' Ridiculous dive from Bovo is correctly ignored by the referee, who has had an excellent game so far this evening. He certainly can't be blamed for the lack of an offside flag for Lazio's second goal.
    • 70' Nocerino robs Gonzalez of possession, before surrendering it himself all to easily. It's all getting rather bitty in midfield right now.
    • 69' Palermo have had 60% of the possession in this second half, though they need to do more with it.
    • 68' Hernandez is replaced by Paolucci for Palermo.
    • 67' Free-kick given against Radu for a high boot on Pastore. Free-kick to Palermo in a decent position. Bovo swings it in towards the back post, Hernandez is up high, but not high enough as it goes out of play on the far side.
    • 66' Lazio boss Edoardo Reja will be pretty pleased with what he's seeing so far. Palermo are failing to provide a real test for the home side's two centre-backs.
    • 65' Scaloni pumps a long ball forward down the line for Gonzalez, but it's not an accurate one, and allows Palermo to build again.
    • 64' Ilicic swings in a cross looking for Hernandez, though he's beaten in the air by Biava.
    • 63' A reminder that Lazio would leapfrog Udinese back into fourth should they go on and see this one out. They do have a tough run-in though, including games against city rivals Roma, Napoli, Inter, Udinese and Juve.
    • 62' Zarate cuts out an Ilicic pass after another very ponderous attack from Palermo. The tempo has gone right out of the game right now.
    • 61' Liverani takes it short, Pastore gets the cross in, but it's over the top and away for a goal kick.
    • 60' Bovo with the free-kick, and Gonzalez chests it behind for a corner.
    • 58' Palermo must have strung a good 50+ passes together now, though they lose it without really trying to get at the Palermo defence, and now Ilicic wins the Sicilians a free-kick in the Lazio half.
    • 57' Lazio are content to build patiently. They will be quite happy to take the pace out of the game to protect their 2-0 lead.
    • 56' Nice spell of possession now for Palermo, until Liverani is caught in possession by Matuzalem.
    • 55' Gonzalez tangles with Balzaretti, but there's no free-kick, much to the Lazio man's annoyance.
    • 54' Hernandez wins a 50-50 in midfield and picks out Pastore, he looks for Cassani who runs in behind the Lazio defence, though Pastore's pass drifts straight out of play.
    • 53' Great persistence from Gonzalez to bundle his way through the middle of the Palermo midfield, but he elects to play a rather strange pass and Palermo can cut that out.
    • 52' The injured Sculli departs to a standing ovation. He is replaced by Alvaro Gonzalez.
    • 51' Beautiful skill from Ilicic to evade Matuzalem and create the space for a shot from the edge off the area, but the strike itself didn't match the build-up, and Muslera was able to gather down low.
    • 50' Palermo will fancy their chances of getting themselves back into this game - they have enough firepower, though the problem might be stopping Laxio scoring another.
    • 49' Migliaccio with a vital clearance as Lazio build their first attack of the second half.
    • 48' Liverani is straight into the action, giving away a free-kick for a massive barge on Hernanes.
    • 47' By the looks of things, Palermo have changed their system. They are going back to the 4-2-3-1 which they favoured in the early part of the season. They have introduced Fabio Liverani for Andelkovic.
    • 46' Palermo get the second half underway.
    • 45+1' There's the half-time whistle. Lazio 2-0 Palermo. So far so good for the home side.
    • 45' Well, Palermo have had the better of it in the last ten or so minutes, though Pastore's header remains their only real effort on goal of note.
    • 44' A high boot from Zarate gives Palermo a free-kick in the Lazio half. Another chance to put a good ball into the area. Bovo chips it in far more delicately this time, and Radu is there with the clearance.
    • 43' Serse Cosmi is getting rather irate on the touchline. He's looking rather eye-catching in his flat cap and matching grey scarf.
    • 42' Hernanes runs onto Xarate's pass and looks to release Sculli, who is always hanging on the shoulder of the last defender, though this time the pass is cut out by a defender. On tonight's evidence, it's a wonder Sculli has not been more prolific this season.
    • 41' Bovo thumps it in, it hits Biava, rebounds to Nocerino, and he scuffs a shot that Muslera has no trouble in dealing with.
    • 40' Ilicic wins a free-kick off Biava right on the edge of the area off to the left. Good position here from Palermo, but they need quality delivery.
    • 39' Munoz is booked for that earlier challenge on Radu. He didn't really catch him, but the intent was there.
    • 38' Radu goes down on the far side, and the play stops for a moment as everyone waits to see if he'll be okay to continue, which he is.
    • 37' Zarate strides forward once again for Lazio, but he's rather wasteful in possession. He hasn't had the best of nights so far, though his team still lead 2-0.
    • 36' How Palermo could do with Fabrizio Miccoli right now. The striker is out injured at the moment.
    • 35' Super strike from Hernanes, who hits a peach of a left foot shot that Sirigu can only parry clear. He's fortunate that the rebound fell to Andelkovic, rather than anyone in a light-blue shirt.
    • 34' Fine stop from Muslera to deny Pastore with a glancing header at the near post!!
    • 33' A moment of panic in the Lazio defence there as Biava for some reason hacks the bal straight out of the hands of his 'keeper! That results in a Palermo corner.
    • 32' Fine defending from Migliaccio, who refuses to be dazzled by Zarate's fancy (and somewhat over the top) footwork.
    • 31' Nocerino searches for Cassani, though his floated pass runs out of play for a goal kick.
    • 30' Ledesma with the delivery, but Andelkovic is there to head clear. Not quite sure why Sirigu came for it. He was never getting anywhere near it.
    • 29' Scaloni swings a decent ball into the area, it ricochets up and falls for Sculli at the far post, and he heads it off Andelkovic for a corner.
    • 28' Matuzalem tries another neat ball in behind the Palermo defence for Sculli, but this time Bovo is there to intercept.
    • 27' Zarate runs at the Palermo defence and plays it wide to Sculli, he moves it on to Floccari who wins himself a yard of space, before thumping his cross way too long.
    • 26' A neat flick from Pastore releases Balzaretti into the area, but Stendardo races back to make an important block on the cross.
    • 25' Balzaretti has certainly been Palermo's best player so far. He has been the only person who has looked capable of making something happen.
    • 24' Great run down the left flank by Balzaretti, he pulls it back for Hernandez, who tries a cheeky backheel at the near post...but he can't quite get it on target! And once again, if there had been anybody else in the box for Palermo, they could well have had a goal.
    • 23' Hernandez leaps for a hopeful ball hoisted in his direction, but he's muscled out of it by Stendardo.
    • 22' In possession Palermo look absolutely fine, but every time Lazio come forward their defence looks shaky.
    • 21' Sculli stands a fine ball up for Floccari in the centre of the area...great chance....but the whistle goes! The ref has blown for a foul on the defender by Sculli. Hmmm...if it had been the other way round it certainly wouldn't have been a penalty, but there you go.
    • 20' Just looking at the replay, Sculli was perhaps half a yard offside. A tough break, but their defence certainly doesn't look comfortable as a back three.
    • 19' Ledesma floated a measured ball over the top of the Palermo defence to the far post, Sculli beat the Palermo offside trap once again (though it was a very close call) and Sculli just beat Sirigu to the ball to head home!
    • 18' GOAL!!!! Lazio's second attack of the game, and Sculli has his second goal!!! He hadn't scored a goal all season, now he has two in ten minutes!
    • 17' Another good spell from Palermo, that is until Ilicic gives it away cheaply just to the left of the Lazio area after a long spell of possession.
    • 16' Ooh! A deflected cross again from Balzaretti is plucked from right under the crossbar by Muslera.
    • 15' This is better from Palermo now, as they probe just outside the Lazio area. Balzaretti swings in a super low cross from the left, and Migliaccio was inches away from an equaliser there!!! Where were the other strikers? Where was Hernandez? A few more bodies in there and it would surely have been a goal.
    • 14' Ledesma with the corner once again, but this time the delivery is poor, and Palermo can break.
    • 13' Hernanes benefits from a miscontrol from Zarate to fire away a quick shot on the edge of the area, and that cannons off a defender and away from another corner.
    • 12' Ledesma with an inswigning delivery, but Sirigu punches emphatically clear.
    • 11' Zarate earns Lazio a corner.
    • 10' Just looking at the replays, it was a gorgeous ball with the outside of the right foot from Ledesma.
    • 9' How will Palermo react to this? The one thing Cosmi would have wanted from his players would have been to keep things tight early on and build confidence, but that plan has now gone out the window.
    • 8' Ledesma created the goal with a driving run through midfield, he slid a well-weighted ball through for Sculli, who latched onto it and tucked it coolly beyond the advancing Sirigu. The Palermo defence was a mess there, nothing like a straight line, meaning he was well onside.
    • 7' GOAL!!! Lazio have the lead through Giuseppe Sculli!
    • 7' Matuzalem lashes a left foot shot wide from all of 35 yards. Very ambitious. And for ambitious, read silly.
    • 6' Zarate has been pretty quiet early on. English fans will remember him for his time with Birmingham.
    • 5' Pastore looks for Balzaretti on the left flank, Hernandez lets it run, but the pass was struck a little too firmly.
    • 4' It falls for Hernandez on the edge of the area...but he somewhat slices his kick with Pastore also looking like he was about to have a swing at it.
    • 3' Sculli races in behind the Palermo defence, before an erroneous offside flag puts paid to that attack! He was level there!
    • 2' Migliaccio wins an early 50-50 in midfield. He has a big job protecting his confidence-hit defence this evening.
    • 1' Lazio get the first half underway. Both clubs are in their customary colours - Lazio in light blue and Palermo in pink.
    • 19:45 An excellent atmosphere here in the Stadio Olimpico. The Curva Nord are in good voice.
    • 19:40 Well, if nothing else tonight we should be in for goals, as Palermo possess the fourth best attack in Serie, having scored 44 goals, though they also have the second worst defence, having let in 43 goals - a huge amount for a team chasing European football.
    • 19:35 Meanwhile, Palermo line-up in a 3-5-2. Their starting eleven is: Sirigu; Munoz, Bovo, Andelkovic; Cassani, Nocerino, Migliaccio, Ilicic, Balzaretti; Hernandez, Pastore.
    • 19:30 The team news is in, and Lazio are going with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Their team is: Muslera; Scaloni, Stendardo, Biava, Radu; Ledesma, Matuzalem; Sculli, Hernanes, Zarate; Floccari.
    • 19:25 Lazio's form is decent. They had taken a 11 points from a possible 15 before last week's defeat to Cagliari, while Palermo come into this game on the back of three horrid defeats which have seen them concede 12 goals, including a massive SEVEN against Udinese last week. That match saw the end of Delio Rossi, with Serse Cosmi brought in as new coach.
    • 19:20 Palermo still have an outside chance of securing Europa League football next season, though will need a strong finish to their season if they're to do so. They currently lie 8th, one point behind Juventus in seventh, and six behind Roma in sixth. Full Serie A standings.
    • 19:15 Finishing in the Champions League places is of course the big target for Lazio this season. They have every chance of doing that, as they currently lie fifth in Serie A, though a win here tonight would see them leapfrog fourth-placed Udinese.
    • - Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Lazio v Palermo - kick-off is at 19.45pm UK time.

  • Summary

    • 82' Ledesma puts the ball back into the area beautifully for Stendardo...WHO MISCUES HIS HEADER WIDE FROM A GLORIOUS POSITION!!! That should have sealed it right there.
    • 35' Super strike from Hernanes, who hits a peach of a left foot shot that Sirigu can only parry clear. He's fortunate that the rebound fell to Andelkovic, rather than anyone in a light-blue shirt.
    • 34' Fine stop from Muslera to deny Pastore with a glancing header at the near post!!
    • 33' A moment of panic in the Lazio defence there as Biava for some reason hacks the bal straight out of the hands of his 'keeper! That results in a Palermo corner.
    • 24' Great run down the left flank by Balzaretti, he pulls it back for Hernandez, who tries a cheeky backheel at the near post...but he can't quite get it on target! And once again, if there had been anybody else in the box for Palermo, they could well have had a goal.
    • 18' GOAL!!!! Lazio's second attack of the game, and Sculli has his second goal!!! He hadn't scored a goal all season, now he has two in ten minutes!
    • 15' This is better from Palermo now, as they probe just outside the Lazio area. Balzaretti swings in a super low cross from the left, and Migliaccio was inches away from an equaliser there!!! Where were the other strikers? Where was Hernandez? A few more bodies in there and it would surely have been a goal.
    • 7' GOAL!!! Lazio have the lead through Giuseppe Sculli!

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Lazio

    Manager: Edoardo Reja

  • Palermo

    Manager: Serse Cosmi

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

    • Starting line-up

      • F. Muslera
      • L. Scaloni Yellow Card
      • G. Stendardo Yellow Card
      • G. Biava
      • S. Radu
      • C. Ledesma
      • Matuzalém Substitution Out (90′)
      • G. Sculli Goals×2 Substitution Out (52′)
      • Hernanes Substitution Out (77′)
      • M. Zárate Yellow Card
      • S. Floccari

      Subs

      • S. Del Nero
      • M. Bresciano Substitution In77′
      • J. Garrido Substitution In90′
      • T. Berni
      • &. González Substitution In52′
      • L. Kozák
      • S. Lichtsteiner

    • Starting line-up

      • S. Sirigu
      • E. Muñoz Yellow Card
      • C. Bovo
      • S. Andelkovic Substitution Out (45′)
      • G. Migliaccio
      • J. Ilicic Substitution Out (77′)
      • M. Cassani
      • A. Nocerino
      • F. Balzaretti
      • A. Hernández Substitution Out (68′)
      • J. Pastore

      Subs

      • F. Liverani Substitution In45′ Yellow Card
      • M. Paolucci Substitution In68′
      • F. Benussi
      • S. García
      • P. Kasami
      • A. Acquah Substitution In77′
      • J. Kurtic

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      8 -
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 3 -
      Yellow Card 6 -
      8 -
      8 -
      Midfielders
      9 -
      Substitution Out90′ 6 -
      Goals ×2 Substitution Out52′ 9 -
      Substitution Out77′ 8 -
      Yellow Card 5 -
      Strikers
      6 -
      Subs
      Substitution In77′ 5 -
      Substitution In90′ - -
      Substitution In52′ 7 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6 -
      Defenders
      Yellow Card - -
      - -
      Substitution Out45′ - -
      Midfielders
      - -
      Substitution Out77′ - -
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Strikers
      Substitution Out68′ - -
      - -
      Subs
      Substitution In45′ Yellow Card - -
      Substitution In68′ - -
      Substitution In77′ - -

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