Mihajlovic keeps Lazio in first
Late goal keeps Parma, Fiorentina at bay in Serie A
Posted: Sunday February 28, 1999 01:43 PM
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Mihajlovic's goal in the 90th minute was his seventh this season. Allsport UK/Allsport |
ROME (AP) -- Sinisa Mihajlovic scored a dramatic last-minute goal
on a free kick Sunday as league leader Lazio struggled to a 2-1
victory on the road against Vicenza and extended its lead atop the
Serie A standings.
The 11th victory in the last 12 matches improved Lazio's record
to 14-6-3 for a total of 48 points. Parma and Fiorenina were tied
in second place at 44.
Parma vaulted from fourth to second place following a 3-1
victory against Perugiain Saturday's portion of Week 23.
Fiorentina, badly missing its injured Argentine striker Gabriel
Batistuta, was lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw against lowly
Salernitna on Sunday.
At Vicenza, Lazio overcame a string of misfortunes in the last
25 minutes of play to boost its chances to win the first league
title in a quarter century.
Leading 1-0 on a 48th minute goal by Portuguese midfielder
Sergio Conceicao, Lazio unexpectedly allowed the equalizer in the
67th minute, on a header by Vicenza defender Giuseppe Cardone.
Six minutes later Chilean striker Marcelo Salas wasted the
opportunity to put Lazio in front when his penalty kick hit the
post and bounced out.
One player down following the expulsion of its Yugoslav star
Dejan Stankovic, Lazio still pressed on the attack in the final
minutes to break through Vicenza's tight defense.
Mihajlovic, a specialist in free kicks, sent a curling, powerful
drive into Vicenza's netin the 90th minute to give the Roman team
a hard-fought victory.
It was Mihajlovic's seventh goal this season.
Vicenza slipped to next-to-last place in the 18-team standings,
with 20 points, following its third season loss at home.
In Salerno, Fiorentina's veteran defender Moreno Torricelli
kicked in the equalizer with four minutes left to keep alive title
chances of the Florentine team.
Young striker Marco Di Vaio had scored for Salernitana in the
75th minute.
In other matches Sunday, Venezia upset Udinese on a late penalty
kick converted by Uruguayan Alvaro Recoba.
Bari and Cagliari played to a 1-1 draw while Sampdoria defeated
last-place Empoli 1-0 in a match between teams struggling in the
relegation zone.
On Saturday AS Roma defeated AC Milan 1-0 at Rome's Olympic
stadium while struggling powerhouses Inter Milan and Juventus
played to a goalless draw in Milan. Lowly Piacenza stunned Bologna
5-0 in a match with four penalty kicks.
AC Milan slipped from second to fourth place, five points behind
Lazio, following its first defeat in 12 games at Rome.
Inter and Juventus trailed the league leader by more than 13
points, out of contention for the league title but still in the
running for the Champions Cup laurel.
Four matches played on Saturday involved Italian teams engaged
in European competitions next week.
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