Lazio favoured to advance

Lazio put themselves in the driving seat to reach the Cup Winners' Cup final after a 1-1 away draw against Lokomotiv Moscow yesterday.

Zaza Dzanashiya put the home side in front with a fine solo effort before Lazio's comeback striker, Alen Boksic, scored a vital 60th minute goal in this first leg tie.

Lazio's Italian international striker Christian Vieri had the best of a handful of first-half chances as he headed on to the crossbar after a quality corner from Sinisa Mihajlovic as both teams played cautiously in the opening 45 minutes.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Dzanashiya broke the deadlock, scoring from an acute angle.

Dmitriy Bulykin had a chance to put Lokomotiv 2-0 up as he surged through the Lazio defence but the move came to nothing.

Boksic then came on for his first match since injuring his knee just before last year's World Cup, while Roberto Mancini came on for striker Marcelo Salas.

The substitutions proved a masterstroke. Mihajlovic crossed from the right and Mancini deftly flicked the ball on to Boksic, who powered the ball home with the outside of his right foot.

Both teams had chances late in the game to grab a winning goal but the defences held firm.

Lazio's Attilio Lombardo, who was not able to hold down a regular place at English Division One side Crystal Palace this season, had a solid game. His timely return to Italy could see him win the Italian league championship and the Cup Winners' Cup.