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Lazio striker makes winning comeback against Bestikas
Rome, Mar 14: Lazio striker Simone Inzaghi marked his return from a one-month layoff with a fractured wrist by scoring the winner in their 1-0 win over Turkey`s Besiktas in their UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg in Rome on Thursday (March 13).
Rome, Mar 14: Lazio striker Simone Inzaghi marked his return from a one-month layoff with a fractured wrist by scoring the winner in their 1-0 win over Turkey's Besiktas in their UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg in Rome on Thursday (March 13).
The striker, who came on as a second half substitute, needed just six minutes to latch on to an Enrico Chiesa pass and fire a low shot past Besiktas keeper Oscar Cordoba.
The 56th-minute goal breathed life into what, until then, had been a subdued encounter in which the home side had enjoyed by far the better chances without converting.
Lazio started brightly and in the 12th minute striker Enrico Chiesa slipped a pass between the legs of defender Ahmet Yildirim that narrowly failed to reach Claudio Lopez, alone in front of keeper Oscar Cordoba.
The Italians' midfielder Nikola Lazetic missed one of the best chances of the first half in the 14th minute, volleying wide at the far post after latching on to a Cesar cross.
At the other end there was no sign of the defensive leaks that characterised Lazio's last UEFA Cup home fixture -- the 3-3 fourth-round draw against Polish side Wisla Krakow.
With first-team regulars Jaap Stam, Fernando Couto, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Giuseppe Favalli stretched across the back, Besiktas made little impression on the home goal.
As the first half wore on, however, the chances of Lazio taking the lead seemed equally scant as they took their foot off the pedal.
Seconds before the break, Lazio allowed Besiktas striker Ilhan Mansiz to stroll into the area before Stam intercepted him on the edge of the six-yard box.
Shortly after the interval, coach Roberto Mancini introduced striker Inzaghi in place of Favalli in an attempt to beef up the attack.
The decision paid off when a long pass by Chiesa into the area found the sub, who spun and whipped a low shot past Besiktas's keeper to record his fourth goal in six UEFA Cup matches this season.
The goal stung the Turkish side into action. Ten minutes later a Besiktas counter-attack ended with Ilhan Mansiz shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the area.
The same striker was again dangerous in the 76th minute, holding off Mihajlovic before lashing the ball directly at Lazio keeper Angelo Peruzzi.
Lazio, however, maintained the pressure on their rivals to the final whistle and could have widened their lead with seven minutes remaining when midfielder
Bureau Report
At the other end there was no sign of the defensive leaks that characterised Lazio's last UEFA Cup home fixture -- the 3-3 fourth-round draw against Polish side Wisla Krakow.
With first-team regulars Jaap Stam, Fernando Couto, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Giuseppe Favalli stretched across the back, Besiktas made little impression on the home goal.
As the first half wore on, however, the chances of Lazio taking the lead seemed equally scant as they took their foot off the pedal.
Seconds before the break, Lazio allowed Besiktas striker Ilhan Mansiz to stroll into the area before Stam intercepted him on the edge of the six-yard box.
Shortly after the interval, coach Roberto Mancini introduced striker Inzaghi in place of Favalli in an attempt to beef up the attack.
The decision paid off when a long pass by Chiesa into the area found the sub, who spun and whipped a low shot past Besiktas's keeper to record his fourth goal in six UEFA Cup matches this season.
The goal stung the Turkish side into action. Ten minutes later a Besiktas counter-attack ended with Ilhan Mansiz shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the area.
The same striker was again dangerous in the 76th minute, holding off Mihajlovic before lashing the ball directly at Lazio keeper Angelo Peruzzi.
Lazio, however, maintained the pressure on their rivals to the final whistle and could have widened their lead with seven minutes remaining when midfielder
Bureau Report