Game 30, Serie A
Sunday, May 19, 1974
Stadio Comunale, Bologna
Bologna Lazio 2-2
Lazio draw with Bologna in party atmosphere
Lazio went close to the scudetto the year before but this year had triumphed beating Foggia at home in the previous match.
Maestrelli's crazy gang had done it. The team was divided in clans during the week but was masterfully brought together by the "Maestro" on match days. They played an entertaining brand of football based on the new Dutch philosophy and thoroughly deserved the title. Like Bologna, Fiorentina and Cagliari before them they had broken the monopoly of the big three (Juve, Milan and Inter).
Today in Bologna however it was still celebration time as 15,000 Lazio fans went up to Emilia to enjoy the last game of the season and first as champions.
The match
A hot day and a 40,000 capacity crowd in Bologna. Almost half were Lazio fans but the locals too were in a good mood ahead of their upcoming cup final appointment.
Before the game the Lazio players, manager and president were presented with flowers and gold medals, to congratulate them for their epic achievement.
Lazio were without injured Gigi Martini and suspended Renzo Garlaschelli but otherwise put out their best team. Bologna too fielded a strong line-up with just defender Angelo Rimbano and midfielder Lionello Massimelli missing while forward Pietro Ghetti was on the bench.
Lazio scored after 30 seconds with Franco Nanni but it was disallowed as Giorgio Chinaglia was judged to be in offside despite not being involved in the action.
The goal came anyway a few minutes later. In 7th minute Sergio Petrelli combined well with Paolo Franzoni and then beat Sergio Buso. Bologna 0 Lazio 1.
The game was open and enjoyable and in the 19th minute Bologna equalised. Beppe Savoldi beat Giancarlo Oddi and then from the right side of the area, with Felice Pulici coming off his line, curled a left footed shot in on the far post Bologna 1 Lazio 1.
There followed a period of equilibrium but just before halftime Bologna went in front. The ball bounced up for Eraldo Pecci at the edge of the box and the young midfielder hit it first time on the volley and his left footed lob beat Pulici. Bologna 2 Lazio 1. Halftime and the hosts in front.
For the second half Bologna replaced Massimo Bulgarelli with Ghetti while Lazio were unchanged.
Lazio immediately looked for an equaliser and especially to get Chinaglia to score to help him become top Serie A scorer, as he was battling with Roberto Boninsegna of Inter. They managed both within minutes. Nanni won a challenge, Franzoni backheeled to Luciano Re Cecconi who played it across to "Long John", left footed strike on the near post and Bologna 2 Lazio 2.
Lazio then could have won it but first Nanni's great run and left footed effort hit the near post and crossed the whole goal line and then a little later on he hit the crossbar with one of his cracking long range efforts.
Bologna too had chance with a Savoldi header but Pulici did well and saved into corner.
In the 86th minute Franco Tripodi was given the satisfaction of his league debut as he came on for Vincenzo D'Amico.
Both sides were pleased with the draw and were by now more worried about how to avoid the annual end of season pitch invasion by particularly enthusiastic fans.
The invasion came and Chinaglia was even rugby tackled, possibly taking him back to his childhood years in South-Wales, but it all ended amicably and the party atmosphere was respected.
Lazio finished with 43 points, two ahead of Juventus and Chinaglia was top Serie A scorer with 24 goals. A memorable season.
There was a sad note in the evening however as a Lazio fans' bus crashed on the way back to Rome and legendary former player Alfredo Monza (1935-1943 and manager in 1958 for 14 games), another fan and the driver tragically lost their lives.
The many tragedies connected to the 1974 team had begun.
Who played for Bologna
Buso, Roversi, Caporale, Battisodo, Cresci, Gregori, Pecci, Vieri, Savoldi, Bulgarelli (46' Ghetti), Landini
Substitutes: Adani, Mei
Manager: Pesaola
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Petrelli, Polentes, Wilson, Oddi, Nanni, Franzoni, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, D'Amico (86' Tripodi)
Manager: Maestrelli
Referee: Toselli
Goals: 7' Petrelli, 19' Savoldi, 48' Pecci, 48' Chinaglia
Sources
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