Lazio pay the penalty

Roma reignited their Serie A title hopes with a pair of penalties to stun leaders Lazio 2-0 in the Rome derby at the Stadio Olimpico yesterday. Marco Borriello and Mirko Vucinic both netted from the spot to give Claudio Ranieri’s men the honours.

Milan went second and closed the gap to Lazio at the top to two points as they won 3-2 at rock bottom Bari.

Roma are now seven points behind Lazio but perhaps more importantly just four behind champions Inter in third.

Lazio coach Edy Reja complained that the referee had not been fair on his team.

“My players are saying, that’s enough, you can’t play against 12,” he said.

“The game was decided by certain episodes. In the previous days Roma were complaining that they never got any decisions, well they can’t do that now. We were denied a penalty at 1-0, Riise fouled Mauri.

“For the penalty for 2-0 Baptista had already fouled Stendardo, which should have been given, and then Simplicio handled (in the area) near the end.”

Roma coach Claudio Ranieri saw things differently.

“I don’t understand what they’re complaining about, in the first half we were denied a valid goal,” he said.

“If Lazio lost because of the referee then that will only please Roma fans even more, now they will be lapping it up like the rich.”

The first half in Rome was a tight affair with few chances although Lazio captain Tommaso Rocchi was just inches away from converting Stefano Mauri’s inviting centre.

Lazio opened up Roma again on 21 minutes but Brazilian playmaker Hernanes leaned back as he connected with Stefan Radu’s pull-back and smashed it high over the bar.

Simone Perrotta squeezed a shot inches wide for Roma before the visitors had the ball in the net on 43 minutes.

John Arne Riise released Borriello down the left and he crossed for Leandro Greco to slot home from close range but Borriello was hit with a narrow and debatable offside decision.

Into first-half injury time Borriello used his strength to bring down a ball on his chest but from eight yards couldn’t hook his shot on target.

And yet just after the restart Roma were deservedly in front.

Simplicio’s goal-bound shot hit Stephan Lichsteiner on the arm and although he could do little to get out of the way, the referee had no choice but to award the penalty.

Borriello’s effort was weak but it somehow managed to squeeze under Fernando Muslera’s body and over the line on 52 minutes.

Simplicio should have added a second 13 minutes from time after Riise’s bursting run down the left but the Brazilian hit the bar from 10 yards out.

Lazio then missed a glorious opportunity as Mauri failed to turn in Christian Ledesma’s free-kick from inside the six-yard box.

Vucinic kept Muslera busy with a vicious daisy-cutter from 20 yards before Pasquale Foggia crashed a back post half-volley against the woodwork from close range.

But three minutes from time Vucinic sent Muslera the wrong way from the spot after Andre Dias was harshly judged to have brought down Julio Baptista despite minimal contact.

Milan were off to a good start in the south as Massimo Ambrosini and Mathieu Flamini put them in charge in the first half.

And Pato’s goal after the break sandwiched by Vitaly Kutuzov and Paulo Barreto efforts proved the winner.

Injury-hit Juventus remain fourth after they came back from a goal down to beat 10-man Cesena 3-1. On Saturday, champions Inter needed a dubious penalty award to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Brescia.

Serie A

Bari 2
Kutuzov 65; Barreto 90;
Milan 3
Ambrosini 4; Flamini 31; Pato 72;

HT: 0-2. Att: 36,000.

Fiorentina 1
Cerci 81;
Chievo 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 21,236.

Juventus 3
Del Piero 31 pen; Quagliarella 43; Iaquinta 88;
Cesena 1
Jimenez 11;

HT: 2-1. Att: 20,534.
Red card: Pellegrino (C) 41.

Lazio 0
Roma 2
Borriello 52 pen; Vucinic 87 pen;

HT: 0-0. Att: 50,000.

Napoli 2
Cavani 19, 85;
Parma 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 30,000.]

Palermo 1
Pinilla 42;
Genoa 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 24,368.

Sampdoria 0
Catania 0

Att: 22,000.

Udinese 1
Flores 44;
Cagliari 1
Conti 12;

HT: 1-1. Att: 13,000.

Top Scorers
8 goals: Eto’o (Inter); Cavani (Napoli)
6 goals: Di Vaio (Bologna)
5 goals: Matri (Cagliari); Pato (Milan); Quagliarella (Juventus)

Next Matches
Wednesday: 20.45 Brescia vs Juventus; Cagliari vs Napoli; Catania vs Udinese; Cesena vs Lazio; Chievo vs Bari; Genoa vs Bologna; Lecce vs Inter; Milan vs Palermo; Roma vs Fiorentina.
Thursday: 20.45 Parma vs Sampdoria.
Saturday: 18.00 Fiorentina vs Cesena. 20.45 Juventus vs Roma.
Sunday: 12.30 Lazio vs Napoli. 15.00 Bari vs Parma; Bologna vs Brescia; Cagliari vs Genoa; Palermo vs Catania; Sampdoria vs Chievo; Udinese vs Lecce. 20.45 Inter vs Milan.