LiveBlog: Lazio – Sampdoria (Coppa Italia Finale)

By: cathal | May 13th, 2009

Ok guys, here we go.

Apparently this is the official line-up: Lazio (4-4-2) 86 Muslera, 2 Lichtsteiner, 22 Rozehnal, 13 Siviglia, 3 Kolarov, 6 Dabo, 24 Ledesma, 5 Brocchi, 17 Foggia, 10 Zarate, 19 Pandev. A disp: (1 Carrizo, 32 Radu, 29 De Silvestri, 87 Diakitè, 11 Mauri, 81 Del Nero, 18 Rocchi)

If you are looking for a stream, Rai Uno should be broadcasting the game online, good quality but short delay. If you don’t like the sound of that, try the usual www.atdhe.net or www.myp2p.eu for a selection of streams for your viewing pleasure.

Business time!!!

20:38 CET: Anybody else absolutely shitting it?

20:41 CET: The Curva…wow…

20:44 CET: As I anxiously anticipate the game, I realise for the first time just how ludicrous Italian adverts can be.

20:47 CET: Kick-off.

20:50 CET: Not much to report, both sides getting on the ball and playing at a quick tempo.

20:51 CET: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! ZARATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Screamer. 1-0. What. A. Start.

20:55 CET: Incident. Foggia accuses Campagnaro of using his elbow and as the Lazio starlet brushes past the guy, he falls to the ground as if he has been shot. Ridiculous and what’s worse, Pasquale gets a booking for it. Open your eyes Rossetti…

21:00 CET: Need to stay calm. Tempers could fray here. It’s tense, it’s nervy and it’s frantic.

21:04 CET: Not sure what Kolarov is doing but he has just booted a ball at what must have been a bird. Samp are getting too close for my liking. They’re creating chances.

21:06 CET: Ball breaks near the Lazio goal and Rozehnal is struggling for pace against Pazzini. Muslera is forced to come out of his goal but I don’t think blasting the ball off David for a corner was what he intended…

21:11 CET: I’d be surprised if this game ends with this scoreline. We’re clearly nervous but the combination of Kolarov-Foggia-Zarate is tormenting their defence. Wouldn’t celebrate any time soon.

21:14 CET: Great chance for Pandev, only the ‘keeper to beat and he hits it straight at him. Poor effort. Should be two nil.

21:18 CET: 1-1. The ball is moved from one end of the pitch to the other, it’s a free header into the box and Pazzini dinks it on into the goal. Will we rue Goran’s miss?

21:24 CET: Again, need to stay calm. If we can get to the second half with no additional damage, we can sort it out. Right now, we can’t concede again.

21:31 CET: Muslera makes a strong save from a Cassano free-kick. The resulting corner goes nowhere.

21:32 CET: Half time. Thoughts, anyone?

21:44 CET: As far as I can see, there’s two ways we can win this. We could grab the next goal, stay calm and nick another or we can defend like our lives depend on it, take it to extra time and hope Samp’s European campaign catches up with them. As of now, the Genoa-based side are on top and need to be stopped.

21:47 CET: And the second half begins…

21:49 CET: Woah!!! Crossed ball heads goalwards…but it didn’t cross the line (I think). A lucky escape there.

21:53 CET: We’re putting them under pressure again. This is better but we need to score.

21:55 CET: Good chance for Maurito, but from close range, he couldn’t direct it goalwards. Unlucky but promising.

21:58 CET: Siviglia booked for shirt pulling outside, wait for it, the Sampdoria box. What is he doing up there???

22:02 CET: We are getting in and around their box now and you sense they’re feeling the heat. Nevertheless, we haven’t scored and the longer this goes on, the more confidence Samp will gain. Foggia skies his volley and now it’s us on the backfoot.

22:06 CET: We are doing everything except scoring. I’m on a knife edge here.

22:11 CET: For the last twenty minutes, we have been all over them. Problem is, the score is the same. We need to get something to show for this pressure and possession.

22:14 CET: Accardi really should be off. Already booked and after making two bad challenges in dangerous positions, he remains on the pitch. If Sebastiano isn’t careful, he will follow. Rocchi comes on for the disappointing Goran.

22:19 CET: Samp getting back in the game now and we could regret not scoring during that brilliant spell. Let’s hope not.

22:23 CET: Del Nero on for Foggia. I agree with bringing on Simone but not for Pasquale. He has been his dangerous self today but that injury may have caught up with him.

22:27 CET: It will be a travesty if we let this game slip but if we don’t put one away soon, we will be in trouble. How long can we keep this pressure up?

22:32 CET: Rocchi misses a chance and Samp are holding on with extra time around the corner. I can’t deal with another 30 minutes of this and the possibility of the dreaded penalties.

22:35 CET: Extra time it is. Anyone off to bed? Didn’t think so…

22:39 CET: Here we go again. Extra time. If you need the toilet, run now!

22:42 CET: You know you’re desperate when Dabo hits a shot from miles out on a set-piece.

22:44 CET: Cassano has a crack at goal and comes mighty close. Too nervous for words here.

22:48 CET: You know, I hate extra time. Do you know what I hate more than extra time? Penalties. Don’t let it go there boys. Kill them off now.

22:52 CET: Brocchi out, Lollo in. We’re spent. No legs left at all and perhaps we need penalties more than Samp do right now. Still don’t fancy it, however.

22:55 CET: Half time of extra time. Where do we go from here? Time to let our hearts rule our legs.

22:58 CET: How did Samp miss that? That’s a let off to say the least…

23:01 CET: Awful challenge by Gastaldello on Del Nero. Free-kick in a good position for us now. Hope Simone isn’t hurt.

23:08 CET: No energy left. We’re holding on for dear life now.

23:11 CET: Del Nero has been putting those fresher legs to good use, almost doing Ledesma’s job. The Argentine is almost dead and penalties are looming.

23:12 CET: The 2009 Coppa Italia will be decided by penalties. How lucky do you feel?

23:15 CET: Keep singing Curva. We need you.

23:16 CET: Listen to the “Su gia du ore” that’s ringing out and feel proud. Come what may, well done boys.

23:18 CET: Here we go. Cassano. SAVED!!!

23:19 CET: LEDESMA SCORES!

23:19 CET: Paolmbo scores. One a piece.

23:20 CET: Rocchi misses. Dear oh dear…

23:21 CET: Pazzini scores. They take the lead.

23:21 CET: Rozehnal levels it. Super penalty.

23:22 CET: Gastaldello put them ahead again. Muslera almost had it.

23:23 CET: Kolarov levels again. Stunning.

23:23 CET: Accardi scores. We need this one or it’s over.