07/12/1999  Lazio 0 Chelsea 0

Chelsea boss Gianluca Vialli was banished from the dug-out 
after a furious row with the fourth official in Rome - yet his 
mood will have improved considerably as his side secured a 
crucial Champions' League draw against Lazio.

The Blues may not have reached the heights of creative 
football they have produced in previous European games this 
season.

But what they needed far more against Lazio was the solid 
and determined display packed with resolve that they produced 
- indeed, exactly the qualities they have so patently lacked 
in so many Premiership games this season.

The joint Serie A leaders, who defeated Manchester United 
to win the Super Cup earlier this season, never seriously 
threatened the visitors' goal and found Marcel Desailly and 
Frank Leboeuf, as well as goalkeeper Ed De Goey, in inspired 
form.

And so - yet again - Chelsea raised their game for the big 
occasion and with the Champions' League now taking a 
well-earned break until March, the same attitude must be shown 
back at home.

At least Vialli can now focus solely on the Premiership and 
he will demand that his players show similar character against 
the likes of Coventry, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton - 
even if he was forced to watch 35 minutes of the action in 
Rome on television.

The Chelsea boss, who has admitted to feeling the pressure 
of his side's faltering Premiership campaign, could not 
control his anger at a refereeing decision 10 minutes into the 
second half.

Tore Andre Flo had burst through and was taking aim inside 
the penalty area only to be hauled back by the referee's 
whistle as he was deemed to have fouled Fernando Couto en 
route to goal.

If Flo was angry at what he believed was flagrant 
play-acting by the Portuguese defender and Gustavo Poyet was 
incensed enough to rush up to make his feelings known in no 
uncertain terms, Vialli was absolutely lived.

He became embroiled in a furious stand-up row with the 
German fourth official Franz-Xaver Wack and when his 
remonstrations continued after play had finally restarted the 
Chelsea boss was sent from the touchline and stormed off in 
disgust.

When he finally reached a television screen in the bowels 
of the stadium at least he will have been pleased with the way 
that his side coped with everything Lazio threw at them in the 
closing stages, while Gianfranco Zola even went the closest to 
breaking the deadlock.

Overall it was a completely different Chelsea side to the 
one that was humiliated 4-1 at Sunderland just three days 
before - both in terms of personnel and performance.

On a bumpy surface the Blues' early efforts to keep 
possession had soon foundered as the Argentinian duo of Juan 
Veron and Diego Simeone, as well as the evergreen Roberto 
Mancini, as Lazio seized control of the game.

But at least one offside decision went in the visitors' 
favour, while Pavel Nedved flashed a shot just wide and Simone 
Inzaghi just failed to reach one of several penetrating 
through-balls that were exposing the Blues at the back.

It was a full 15 minutes before Chelsea threatened the home 
side's goal, with Flo's header being tipped over as a 
free-kick was given for pushing, while Desailly also headed 
over the top.

Vialli was soon urgently issuing instructions from the 
touchline as Didier Deschamps and Dennis Wise found themselves 
outmanned in central midfield, even if Desailly was showing 
the form which curiously deserted him at the Stadium of 
Light.

Yet once Nedved's claims for a penalty were waved away 
there were at least glimpses of attacking flair from Chelsea 
as Flo just failed to connect with a superb ball lobbed 
through by Dan Petrescu.

The action was hardly captivating at this stage, however, 
as both sides struggled to find any rhythm, and while Chelsea 
were pressing better in midfield they were also failing to get 
enough players forward.

Lazio's tempo also dropped, although Inzaghi did manage to 
beat the Blues' offside trap only to be denied by De Goey, who 
was out quickly to block his path, while Flo intercepted a 
succession of poorly-directed corners.

Inzaghi's lack of poise in front of goal led to his 
replacement by Marcelo Salas, the Chilean international 
coveted by Manchester United only a couple of years ago, at 
the interval and Alen Boksic later joined him as Mancini 
dropped deeper.

Then came the furore which led to Vialli's departure from 
the touchline, leaving Ray Wilkins in sole control of the side 
in the enforced absence of Graham Rix.

But while Lazio's reaction was to press forward with more 
urgency they still did not create a clear opening, even if 
Veron hit the post on 65 minutes direct from an inswinging 
corner.

Indeed, the closest either side came to scoring in the 
closing stages was when Flo held the ball up for Zola, who 
produced a lobbed cross-shot which was desperately hacked 
clear from just in front of the far post.

There was even the chance for Roberto Di Matteo to come on 
as substitute against his former club and he produced a superb 
sliding tackle in the closing stages as Chelsea held on 
resolutely.

Vialli's anger will therefore have been short-lived - but 
only if his side can ensure that these battling qualities are 
not solely reserved for Europe.