Miroslav Klose was the hero for Lazio in Sunday evening’s Rome Derby as he popped up with a last minute goal to give the Biancocelesti their first derby win in over two and a half years.
April 2009 was the last time Roma tasted defeat in the derby stretching 5 games in league and cup.
Francesco Totti missed the derby due to injury and was replaced by Simone Perrotta. Fernando Gago came in for Fabio Simplicio as Luis Enrique went with a 4-3-1-2 placing Miralem Pjanic behind Bojan and Pablo Osvaldo. While Lazio went with a front three of Klose, Djibril Cisse and Hernanes just behind.
Lazio: Marchetti, Konko, Andre Dias, Biava, Radu (Lulic 46) Gonzalez (Mauri 60), Ledesma, Brocchi (Matuzalem 75), Hernanes, Cisse, Klose
Roma: Stekelenburg, Rosi (Cassetti 37), Heinze, Kjaer, Angel, Gago, De Rossi, Perrotta (Burdisso 53), Pjanic, Bojan (Pizarro 73), Osvaldo
The away side made a fantastic start as after just five minutes Pablo Osvaldo scored his fourth goal in four games. Pjanic played a lovely ball over the top for Osvaldo, who took his time and with a calm finish placed the ball beyond Federico Marchetti.
Simone Perrotta then went close with an angled drive moments later, but it just flew past the upright.
It took Lazio time to get into the game as their opponents put them under pressure quickly when they had the ball, but they did dominate the closing stages of the first half. Both Miroslav Klose and Hernanes had chances to equalise but both finished wildly. Hernanes once again tested the Roma backline but his curled effort from 25 yards out went just wide.
At the other end Bojan had a shot from the edge of the area well saved by Marchetti. However, Osvaldo should have doubled the lead before the interval as Roma countered down the left with Jose Angel, who crossed in for Bojan, but he could not get on the end of the cross, though it fell to Osvaldo but his scuffed effort from close range was blocked and cleared for a corner.
Roma went into the break in the lead but it all turned ugly for them in the second half.
Lazio started the second period the livelier and created plenty of chances, firstly Miroslav Klose headed wide from a corner and then Cisse fired horribly wide. But with 50 minutes on the clock the equaliser came.
Simon Kjaer tugged back Cristian Brocchi as he was chasing a through ball in the area, a penalty was awarded and the Dane received his marching orders. Hernanes stepped up and dispatched the penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. With the Roma down to ten-men, Luis Enrique brought on Nicolas Burdisso for Perrotta and went 4-4-1.
Eager to win their first derby since 2009, Lazio went all out for victory. Miroslav Klose hit the bar with a looping header, then just moments later the same man wasted another chances as he fired over from close range from a Hernanes lifted ball. Roma were living dangerously.
It was all Lazio in the final ten minutes as Roma tried to suck up all the pressure. The Aquile were then denied again as Cisse saw a fantastic effort smack the upright from a Stefano Mauri cross.
But in the third minute of added time, Klose netted the winner to give Lazio all three points. Poor defending from Roma left the German international unmarked and he coolly slotted home from close range, sending the Stadio Olimpico into rapture.
As the final whistle blew the Lazio players and staff celebrated on the pitch in front of the Curva Nord.
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The straight red on Kjaer was a harsh decision.