Ronaldo brilliance lights-up UEFA Cup final

Date: 6th May 2016 at 10:05am
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On 6 May 1998, Ronaldo inspired Inter to UEFA Cup success with victory against Lazio under the guidance of coach Luigi Simoni. Kev Pogorzelski looks back over the 90 minutes at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

FUSSBALL: UEFA CUP 97/98 FINALE in PARIS, 06.05.1998

As the dust settles on last night’s Europa League semi-finals, Friday marks the 18th anniversary of the competition – then the UEFA Cup – switching to a one-off finale rather than two-legged encounters.

With the trophy holding far more prestige than it has recently, it was certainly viewed as a showpiece event to match the Champions League with Serie A rivals Lazio and Inter meeting in Paris, and a certain Ronaldo the star attraction.

Held at the Parc des Princes – home to Paris Saint-Germain – the Brazilian would have a far better night in the capital than two months later and 10 miles down the round at the Stade de France, when the 21-year-old left with a World Cup dream shattered.

Ironically, one of the men who helped France to victory over the star-studded South American side was Youri Djorkaeff, who lined-up alongside The Phenomenon for the Nerazzurri against the Aquile.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iIsbikFOQw[/youtube]

While Inter coach Roberto Mancini – who played for Lazio in the final – only has aspirations to rejoin the Champions League elite, nearly two decades ago the UEFA Cup gave the club some much needed silverware.

This was the Nerazzurri’s fourth final appearance of the decade and victory – possibly spurred on by defeat in the final to Schalke in 1997 – completed a hat-trick of triumphs, after overcoming Roma in 1991 and Salzburg three years later.

In the Biancocelesti side that evening was a spritely 22-year-old Alessandro Nesta and much was made of his battle with Ronaldo, but the Brazilian was unstoppable after a debut Serie A campaign that brought 25 goals.

With thousands of travelling fans creating an intimidating atmosphere in the capital, the Lazio players struggled to contain their nerves or the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year, and were quickly behind.

FUSSBALL: UEFA CUP 97/98 FINALE in PARIS, 06.05.1998 INTER MAILAND MANNSCHAFTSFOTO

After netting against Schalke the previous year, it was Ivan Zamorano who made the breakthrough on five minutes. Inter captain Javier Zanetti releasing the Chilean behind the Lazio defence to fire past goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani.

That seemed to give Ronaldo licence to unleash his box of tricks; twisting and turning to avoid his opponents and tease them with every flash of his talented feet, and on 30 minutes the crossbar denied him a wonderful solo goal.

Just a single goal down, the Biancocelesti players breathed a huge sigh-of-relief as they headed into the dressing room, but it was clear that with the Brazilian in full-flow there was only going to be one winner.

On 60 minutes the Nerazzurri found a crucial second goal to kill-off the match, a looping Ronaldo set-piece falling to strike partner Zamorano, who nodded the ball to Zanetti to fire home emphatically.

INTER MAILAND - LAZIO ROM 3:0;

Ten minutes later Man of the Match Ronaldo got the goal his performance rightly deserved, after Mancini had been dispossessed by Francesco Colonnese when trying to reduce the deficit.

Inter quickly countered through Francesco Moriero, and after being put through on goal by the Italian, the former Barcelona striker rounded the helpless Marchegiani to make it 3-0.

With Lazio deflated, the Nerazzurri probably could have gone for the throat and really humiliated the Romans, but coach Luigi Simoni and his players seemed to take pity and comfortably played out the remaining minutes.

The switch to winner-takes-all encounters in 1998 certainly improved what were sometimes underwhelming home and away contests that preceded the change, but there have been few which have been as one-sided in recent years.

 

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