| Lazio
Roma lineup: Peruzzi, Pancaro, Stam, Couto, Favalli, Poorsky,
Mendieta, Gianichedda, Fiore, Lopez and Inzaghi.
PSV
Roma lineup: Lodewijiks, Ooijer, Faber, Nikifirov, Hofland,
Heintze, Vogel, Bouma, Rommedahl, De Jong and Kezman.
Both teams badly wanted to win -
Lazio had lost all three of their C-L matches so far and needed to win
this one if they were to have any chance of going further in the
tournament. Erik Gerets had equally made it clear that he wanted PSV to
win tonight in order to restore the side's honour as well as giving them
hope of staying in the tournament - a 3rd place in the group would only
provide UEFA Cup football. John de Jong started in preference to Arnold
Bruggink - a slight surprise! The Dutch champions held their own during
theng half an hour and had a couple of good chances to score while
Lazio were only really dangerous on the counter, when Lopez got the chance
to fire off a shot a couple of times. Just when it looked as if PSV were
more or less in control, following a good period of play, Lazio struck.
Mendieta's finely judged pass found Fiore waiting to strike home the 1 - 0
with his first chance of the match. Lazio came out a better team for the
2nd half their pressure delivered a penalty which Lopez ferociously fired
home for the 2 - 0. Immediately following that 56th minute spot-shot
Kezman got one back within the minute, from a Heintze pass, to narrow the
gap again. Despite all attempts, via various substitutions (Lucius for De
Jong, Vennegoor of Hesselink for Nikifirov and Bruggink for the
influential Heintze), to turn the tide and despite giving it everything
they had in the closing stages PSV lacked that edge which is so badly
needed at this level to force the issue. They had the chances - they
didn't convert them into goals-in-the-net!
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