Game 34, Serie A
Sunday, May 25, 1952
Stadio Comunale, Bologna
Bologna Lazio 2-4
With two goals in last fifteen minutes Lazio clinch good away win but Bologna now seriously risk the drop
Lazio were having another good season and were in joint 5th place with Napoli but only one point off 4th placed Fiorentina. Lazio had won 13, drawn 11 and lost 9. There was no derby this year as Roma were in Serie B.
Bologna had more to play for but Lazio were ten points ahead and the better team so could be hard to beat.
The match
A cold, grey, blustery day only saw about 10,000 spectators turn up at the Comunale.
Lazio had several absences, Primo Sentimenti V, Francesco Antonazzi, Enrique Flamini and Sigvard Löfgren while Bologna had Mario Tacconi playing in attack but with some physical problems.
Bologna started out on the attack but Lazio's defence was solid. They based their game on quick counter attacks. In the 5th minute Lelio Antoniotti was fouled at the edge of the box but Gülesin Şükrü's free kick went wide.
Bologna then had a few minutes of pressure, but in the 8th minute Lazio scored. Ragnar Larsen started the move in midfield, then Mario Magrini fed Şükrü, the Turk set off like a bullet and could have shot but instead turned inside and dribbled a couple of defenders before beating Glauco Vanz with a low strike. Great goal and Bologna 0 Lazio 1.
Bologna attacked head down. In the 10th minute Tacconi was clear through but Lucidio "Cochi" Sentimenti IV rushed off his line and stopped the shot. The Lazio keeper was kept busy especially in the 20th minute when Tacconi had a powerful close range shot but he pulled off a brilliant save, punching the ball into corner.
Lazio still threatened on the break and in the 21st minute Şükrü repeated his earlier movements but this time his shot shaved the crossbar.
Bologna's pressure however was rewarded in the 31st minute. After a prolonged and scrappy move in the area, Mario Gritti got a shot in which Sentimenti IV parried but Tacconi pounced on the rebound and scored. Bologna 1 Lazio 1.
Bologna continued to attack but the halftime whistle came with the score on 1-1.
The heavens then opened and torrential rain started to pelt down.
The game restarted under a downpour but also with thunder and lightning in the distance.
Bologna started where they had left off and Sentimenti IV was called into action on two José Garcia efforts.
Bologna then suddenly faded and Lazio became more authoritative despite being forced to reshuffle their line-up due to an injury to full-back Zeffiro Furiassi who was moved out to the wing while Magrini went to full-back and Aldo Puccinelli to midfield.
In the 52nd minute Lazio took the lead. Magrini put in a long cross to Şükrü, the big Turk dribbled Guglielmo Giovannini and beat Vanz coming off his line. Bologna 1 Lazio 2.
Bologna, spurred on by the home fans, did not give up and equalised in the 58th minute. Following a corner by Garcia, Aldo Campatelli teed up Gino Cappello who wrong footed Sentimenti IV and made it 2-2.
Bologna however were tiring while Lazio seemed to still have plenty of energy. In the 77th minute Larsen again worked a good ball in midfield and left it to Romolo Alzani who played in Antoniotti but his shot lacked power and Vanz saved into corner. Şükrü took the corner blasting a low strike which crossed the whole goal area until Antoniotti stretched and put it in the back of the net. Bologna 2 Lazio 3.
Bologna were done for and their fans started to whistle them. Lazio, on the other hand, were rampant and even the limping Furiassi came to life with a cross to Antoniotti who teed up Şükrü who with a cracking left foot made it 2-4 in the 82nd minute. It was the Turk's hat-trick.
The home fans turned on their players shouting "In serie B ... In serie B! ..." Lazio decided not to pile more misery on the home side and the game ended without any more noteworthy action. Final score Bologna 2 Lazio 4.
A fine performance by Lazio who had soaked up periods of pressure and then struck late with their superior fitness. Lazio were now solitary in 5th place.
Bologna were in trouble. The Rossoblu were now 18th, two points adrift. If the season ended now Bologna would be down. The table read: Legnano 13, Padova 26, Bologna 27, Como 29, Udinese 29, Torino, Atalanta, Triestina and Lucchese all on 30. With three relegations and four games to go these were worrying times for the Felsinei, who had never been in Serie B.
Who played for Bologna
Vanz, Giovannini, Ballacci, Pilmark, Mezzadri, Jensen, Cervellati, Garcia, Tacconi, Gritti, Cappello
Manager: Galluzzi
Who played for Lazio
Sentimenti IV, Montanari, Furiassi, Alzani, Malacarne, Fuin, Puccinelli, Magrini, Antoniotti, Larsen, Şükrü
Manager: Bigogno
Referee: Marchetti
Goals: 8' Sukrü, 31' Gritti, 52' Sukrü, 58' Cappello, 77' Antoniotti, 82' Sukrü
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