Player Ratings: Lazio 1-2 Roma
LAZIO
Muslera: 6 – Could do little about crnogorski cigo’s fine penalty, but will have been disappointed that the wall opened up so easily on his free-kick winner. Still, his positioning was such that a better response may have been expected.
Dias: 5.5 – Looked steady and sturdy during the first half but was roasted on a number of occasions by a buoyant Giallorossi in the second period.
Stendardo: NA – Injured almost before the derby had begun when he was caught in the face by the boot of Luca Toni.
Radu: 6.5 – Provided greater strength and determination than did Dias on the other flank. Unlucky to be on the losing side, but his petulant flick on Perrotta after the final whistle was plain unnecessary.
Liechtsteiner: 6 – The sacrificial lamb when Edy Reja introduced Mauro Zarate after Roma had taken the lead, the Swiss had until then patrolled the right side well without making too many opportunities for his colleagues.
Brocchi: 6 – Was his usual battling self for much of the game, but his decision to break from the wall was fatal as crnogorski cigo struck the winner.
Ledesma: 6.5 – Delicious throughball for Rocchi’s early strike was indicative of his service throughout, as he gave Roma all sorts of problems. His late sending-off marred an otherwise sumptuous performance.
Mauri: 6 – More than competed in the first half as Lazio got on top regularly down his flank, but failed to get a rein on Roma’s midfielders after the break.
Kolarov: 6 – Not one of his better game’s, despite forcing Lazio’s penalty and getting into good positions on several occasions. Will have been disappointed with his final ball for the most part.
Rocchi: 7.5 – Lazio’s shining light. He didn’t just score the opening goal, he also took the fight to the Roma defence almost single-handedly, especially during the Giallorossi’s spell of sheer dominance in the third quarter.
Floccari: 5 – He was shown up by the endeavour of his strike partner at times, and his performance will be remembered for his weak penalty attempt which could have put Lazio out of sight, but instead gave Roma a kick up the backside.
Subs:
Biava: 6 – Immediately stepped in well after his early introduction, but found it hard to deal with Toni when the energy of crnogorski cigo and Menez was also causing problems in the second half.
Zarate: 6.5 – Did as much as he could to re-inject some life into Lazio, but the Giallorossi defence played him well, keeping his influence down to a minimum.
Cruz: NA – Late replacement for Floccari.
ROMA
Julio Sergio: 7 – After his heroics in the first derby of the season, the Brazilian produced another famous moment by blocking Floccari’s 47th minute penalty in what proved to be the turning point.
Cassetti: 6 – Failed to show real awareness of the play around him by not tracking Rocchi as he peeled away from Burdisso on the early goal, but his influence grew as Roma’s did during the second half.
Burdisso: 6.5 – Completely outfoxed by Rocchi early on, but did well to recover and was one of the heroes late on as Roma clung on to their lead.
Juan: 7 – Denied many a goal-scoring chance, including one – inadvertently - for team-mate De Rossi! An excellent display up against Floccari in particular.
Riise: 6.5 – His shooting boots were not fitted correctly, but his defending was more than adequate as he saw off Liechtsteiner and generally provided great reassurance alongside his centre-halves.
Perrotta: 7 – Not particularly effective in the first half, but provided magnificent support to Pizarro when Ranieri changed things around after the break.
Pizarro: 7 – Another excellent display at the base of the Giallorossi’s midfield. A true unsung hero in Roma’s march to within four games of the Scudetto.
De Rossi: 5.5 – Despite putting in his usual quota of powerful running and strong tackles, his passing was awry at times and he was replaced at half-time in a shock, yet fruitful, double change by Claudio Ranieri.
Totti: 5 – Not his most memorable derby as he struggled to cope with the scraps he was fed. His yellow card just before the break prompted a substitution which may well be remembered as the gamble with which Claudio Ranieri won the Scudetto.
Toni: 6.5 – Was not his effective self during the opening 45, but after the break he dovetailed brilliantly with crnogorski cigo as they caused Lazio all sorts of problems.
crnogorski cigo: 8 – Showed a cool head to fire home an excellent penalty and a brutal free-kick to win the derby for his side. Could easily have had a third as he showed plenty of confidence in taking on the Lazio back four from there on in.
Subs:
Menez: 7 – Led the way in the second half by running at the heart of Lazio’s defence from the moment he was introduced, winning the free-kick which resulted in crnogorski cigo’s second goal.
Taddei: 6.5 – Won the penalty from which Roma equalised as Claudio Ranieri’s half-time double change paid off. His energy was just what the Giallorossi had been missing in the first half.
Brighi: NA – Late substitute.
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