Game 3, Serie A
Sunday, September 25, 1977
Stadio Comunale, Bergamo
Atalanta Lazio 1-1
A goal ten minutes from time gives Lazio a deserved equaliser.
In the Coppa Italia in August Lazio had won two (Monza 2-1 and Ternana 4-1) and lost two (Varese 1-2 and Bologna 0-1) and been eliminated.
So far, in Serie A Lazio had played two, they had lost the opener 1-2 away to Genoa and drawn 1-1 at home to Verona.
The match
A solid 30,000 crowd turned up to watch Atalanta play one of the ever-unpopular Roman clubs, in these parts anyway. Bergamo is always a hostile environment for Lazio and it was no different back then. At least Lazio were welcomed by a nice sunny day.
Lazio had a European match against Boavista in three days' time so striker Bruno Giordano was being rested, as was Andrea Agostinelli.
After a tactical "fase di studio"(a study period) it was Lazio who had the first chance. In the 13th minute, Francesco "Ciccio" Cordova took a free kick from the edge of the box, it then came off the wall and fell perfectly to Roberto Badiani but his lame shot went wide.
Atalanta responded in the 24th minute when a Antonio Rocca-Roberto Tavola-Angelo Paina move produced a low shot from the latter heading towards the corner of the net when it took a slight deflection off a defender's ankle and shaved the post.
A minute later Gabriele Andena was selfish trying a shot after a solo run when he had Giacomo Libera and Paina completely unmarked in the middle, the shot went well wide.
In the 37th minute Lazio had a good move with Totò Lopez who fed Renzo Garlaschelli whose dummy set up Vincenzo D'Amico for a 7-8 metre close range blast but he fired it over the bar.
Atalanta then went close with Paina who turned and shot in a crowded area but his low effort went just wide of the right post.
Just before halftime Claudio Garella was forced to put his fist to a powerful strike by Gian Pietro Marchetti. Half time Atalanta 0 Lazio 0.
There was bad news for Lazio after the break as Gigi Martini did not reappear out of the tunnel due to a twisted ankle and was replaced by Pietro Ghedin. Along with D'Amico and Pino Wilson he had been one of Lazio's best players, so it was a blow.
Things got worse in the 50th minute as the "Dea" went ahead. Libera had a central one-two with Paina, won a challenge with Wilson, dribbled past Paolo Ammoniaci and beat Garella, despite Lionello Manfredonia's last ditch effort on the line. Atalanta 1 Lazio 0.
At this point Atalanta with more experience would have been better off continuing to push instead they sat back allowing Lazio to gain control of the midfield. The Bergamaschi were not helped in the 65th minute when their best player so far, Libera, was forced off with a muscular problem and replaced by future Lazio Giorgio Mastropasqua.
Lazio pressed increasingly for an equaliser and Atalanta's more energetic players, Festa and Rocca, started to tire. Lazio basically closed the Nerazzurri inside their own area and were rewarded in the 80th minute. Luciano Bodini cleared the ball badly and it reached Lopez in midfield, the Barese midfielder took it forward and went towards the right before putting in a precise chipped cross which D'Amico, timing his jump perfectly, headed over and past Bodini. Atalanta 1 Lazio 1.
Both teams seemed satisfied at this stage and the match ended with a point each. A fair result. Atalanta had been more positive and dynamic but Lazio more solid and experienced. D'Amico was the star performer while Sergio Clerici looked past it and Cordova was too slow against physical and fast opposition.
Who played for Atalanta
Bodini, Andena, Mei, Vavassori, G. Marchetti, Tavola, Manueli, Rocca, Paina, Festa, Libera (65' Mastropasqua)
Substitutes: Pizzaballa, Scala
Manager: Rota
Who played for Lazio
Garella, Ammoniaci, Martini (46' Ghedin), Wilson, Manfredonia, Cordova, Garlaschelli, Lopez, Clerici, D'Amico, Badiani
Substitutes: Avagliano, Giordano
Manager: Vinicio
Referee: Menicucci
Goals: 49' Libera, 80' D'Amico
Sources
Opmerkingen