Parma 0 : 0 Lazio - Biancocelesti Europa dreams fading

Posted Sunday, April 28, 2013 by PA

Lazio are three points off the last Europa League spot for next season after a goalless draw with Parma at the Stadio Ennio Tardini.

Back-to-back defeats against Juventus and Udinese had left the Biancocelesti playing catch-up in the race for fifth while mid-table Parma came into the game with just one win from their last five.

Scoring has been an issue for Lazio and now, from their last six matches, they have only scored twice.

Thankfully Vladimir Petkovic's side have been reasonably secure at the other end, but they will have to do without defender Giuseppe Biava for at least one match after he picked up a red card for a second booking in injury time.

Despite their awful recent form, Parma made a bright start and after just two minutes, Jonathan Biabiany's right-wing cross found Amauri whose header had to be punched away by Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.

Ten-goal frontman Miroslav Klose shot wide from 12 yards out before he fired over the crossbar from just outside the area shortly after the half-hour mark.

Parma had the best chance of the half seven minutes before the break, but following a scramble inside the area, Gabriel Paletta somehow missed the target from six yards out.

Four minutes after the restart, Amauri skimmed the Lazio post from inside the area, before Ederson repeated the trick at the other end.

After 58 minutes Klose again failed to find the target when well placed before Marco Parolo failed to find the target from outside the box.

With 14 minutes left Lazio had a golden chance to take the lead when Libor Kozak was one on one with Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante, but the 29-year-old denied the Czech forward.

The visitors missed another simple chance four minutes later when Stefan Radu failed to hit the target with a free header from close range.

And their frustrating day continued until the last when Biava was shown a second yellow card following a tackle from behind on Amauri.