Lazio 1 : 0 Bari - Hernanes hit beats Bari
Posted Sunday, February 20, 2011 by PA
Lazio edged strugglers Bari this afternoon to secure back-to-back Serie A wins for the first time since October and remain fourth in the table.
Brazilian midfielder Anderson Hernanes' sixth-minute goal handed the Romans all three points at the Stadio Olimpico.
Lazio could have won by a greater margin but Jean Francois Gillet put in a solid performance in goal to keep the visitors in the game.
Bari failed to test Biancoceleste goalkeeper Tommaso Berni until the hour mark but Lazio were made to sweat in the final stages of the contest with the visitors pressing forward in search of an equaliser that never arrived.
The result has left Bari at the foot of the standings, 11 points from safety.
Edy Reja's men got the boost of an early goal to calm nerves at the Stadio Olimpico.
Giuseppe Sculli's cross found Hernanes in the heart of the area and his right-footed strike beat Gillet.
The goal inspired the home side, with Hernanes tormenting the Bari defence with a further six attempts on goal before half-time.
On the half-hour mark, Gillet fully stretched to clear Hernanes' right-footed shot from 20 yards.
Five minutes before the break, Hernanes's curled free-kick was kept out by Gillet.
With Bari struggling to break Lazio's well-placed defence, it was the hosts that should have doubled their lead in the 52nd minute.
Libor Kozak shot narrowly wide of the Bari goal with his right foot from the edge of the box.
The visitors, who went into the encounter having claimed just one point in their last seven games, almost equalised in the 59th minute in what was their first scoring opportunity.
Berni kept out Massimo Donati's right-footed effort from 20 yards.
At the other end, Gillet made a superb save to deny Sculli's close-range effort.
With five minutes remaining, Lazio defended deeply and Giuseppe Stendardo made a crucial tackle with substitute Jose Ignacio Castillo ready to fire home from Sergio Almiron's pass.
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