LAZIO 1-1 SAMPDORIA (6-5 On Penalties)
Lazio overcame Sampdoria to roll back the years and retrieve the Coppa Italia on familiar turf at the Stadio Olimpico as the outcome hinched on the haphazard showdown of the penalty shoot-out. Both were vying for a fifth Italian Cup, Lazio’s most recent success being in 2004 while Sampdoria have endured a longer stretch of frustration having failed in their attempts to replicate the triumph of 1994.
On-loan Argentine striker Mauro Zarate struck for the Biancocelesti after only four minutes, but this advantage faded once Giampaolo Pazzini converted Marius Stankevicius’ header and the verdict was left to be ruled by the composure and guile demonstrated by the penalty kick-takers and goalkeepers alike. All that had unravelled in the 120 minutes of open play became trivial, the surfacing of the noble heroes and the distraught villains beckoned.
Lazio shotstopper Nestor Muslera deservedly earned acclaim for his intervention in Sampdoria’s quest for silverware by twice saving penalties, Antonio Cassano and Hugo Campagnaro the wrongdoers. As the sole survivor of Lazio’s preceding victorious Coppa Italia squad [of 2004] stepped forward, was it “destiny” which pledged that Ousmane Dabo would be in possession of the concluding kick of the match? According to the man-of-the-moment, it was, allowing the celebratory Lazio to rejoice. The trophy had, as fortune would have it, been secured at Lazio's very own stadium and it guaranteed the trophy would not be departing the four corners of the Stadio Olimpico for at least twelve months and fetched with it qualification to the Europa League.
Squads
Lazio: Muslera; Lichtsteiner, Siviglia, Rozehnal, Kolarov; Brocchi (De Silvestri 103), Dabo, Ledesma, Foggia (Del Nero 80); Zarate, Pandev (Rocchi 73)
Sampdoria: Castellazzi; Campagnaro, Lucchini (Gastaldello 96), Accardi; Stankevicius, Sammarco (Dessena 90), Palombo, Franceschini (Delvecchio 87), Pieri; Pazzini, Cassano
What They Said
“I am relaxed and happy that I got my form back. I dedicate this to my family, who are all crowded around the television in Uruguay so far away right now!” Lazio goalkeeper Nando Muslera
“It was destiny, I had to score. I am not a superstitious person, but I really thought my name was written on that penalty.” Ousmane Dabo on his inevitable penalty-spot winner
“When you have great passion for your work and these nights arrive, you feel them even more keenly.” Lazio coach Delio Rossi
“It will be really tough to digest because it was a good Final and we only lost out in the lottery of a penalty contest.” Sampdoria goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi
Quotes obtained from Channel 4's Football Italia.
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