Giordano double brings Lazio hard fought point
Bruno-gol scores twice in satisfactory draw
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished 10th. They had started with Brazilian Luis Vinicio as manager but ended with replacement Roberto 'Bob' Lovati.
This season Lovati had been confirmed. Lazio's main change was in goal with Massimo Cacciatori arriving from Sampdoria. Two midfielders were added; Aldo Nicoli from Foggia and Fernando Viola back from a loan period at Bologna. In attack Aldo Cantarutti was signed from Monza.
The goalkeeper making space for Cacciatori was Claudio Garella. He had committed a series of howlers at Lazio and was nicknamed 'Garella paperella' (rubber duck- a play on words with Italian papera meaning howler in football lingo). He would however go on to win league titles with Verona and Napoli. Also leaving were midfielder Luigi Boccolini to Brindisi and Ernesto Apuzzo to Foggia while Sergio Clerici had retired.
In August and September, Lazio had got through the first group stage of Coppa Italia. The Biancocelesti had won 2 (Bari 1-0 away and Vicenza 1-0 at home) and drawn 2 (Pistoiese 0-0 at home and Bologna 1-1 away). They would play Palermo next in the quarterfinals in April.
In Serie A Lazio had drawn 2-2 at home with Juventus in their first game. They had then beaten Avellino 3-1 away and drawn 1-1 at home to Atalanta. Since then, the Biancocelesti had won 3 (including Vicenza 4-3 at home), drawn 2 (including derby 0-0) and lost 3. A week before today's clash Lazio had beaten Bologna 1-0 with a Pino Wilson winner. Lazio had 12 points in the table and were in joint 7th place with Napoli and Catanzaro.
Torino had finished 2nd the previous season under Gigi Radice. They drew one and won one against Lazio. In the UEFA Cup the Granata reached the last 16 (Bastia 3-5). Top scorer was Francesco Graziani with 20 goals (12 in A).
This season Radice, the Scudetto winning manager of 1976, was still in charge. The main new players coming in were: keeper Renato Copparoni (Cagliari), defenders Claudio Onofri (Genoa), Salvatore Vullo (Palermo), midfielders Giuseppe Greco (Ascoli - back from loan) and forward Maurizio Iorio (Foggia).
Leaving were keeper Luciano Castellini (Napoli, after 201 league games), defenders Vittorio Caporale (Napoli), Fabrizio Gorin (Genoa), midfielder Cesare Butti (Perugia) and forward Salvatore Garritano (Atalanta).
In Serie A Toro were currently in 6th place on 13 points. The Granata had won 4, drawn 5 (including derby 1-1) and lost 2 (including the most recent game 0-1 away to Milan).
In the Coppa Italia, Torino had gone out in the first group phase in August- September. They had won 2 (Cesena 3-1 at home and Brescia 1-0 away) and lost 2 (Palermo 1-3 at home and Verona 3-4 away).
In the UEFA Cup they were eliminated in the first round by Sporting Gijón 1-3 on aggregate.
An interesting game today at the Comunale. Only one point separated the teams in the table and both had dangerous forward players (Graziani-Pulici vs Giordano-D'Amico).
The match: Sunday, December, 1978, Stadio Comunale, Torino
There was a pale sun out in Turin but the temperature was low. A crowd of about 25,000 were present.
Torino had two important absences in defender Luigi Danova and winger Claudio Sala while Lazio were without full-backs Paolo Ammoniaci and Gigi Martini plus winger Renzo Garlaschelli.
Torino started on the attack while Lazio defended and waited to strike on the counter attack. They did so almost immediately. In the 7th minute Ciccio Cordova dispossessed Giuseppe Greco just outside the Lazio box, he quickly found Andrea Agostinelli who surged forward and set up Bruno Giordano, the Roman striker beat the offside trap, went round Giuliano Terraneo and scored with his left foot from a very difficult angle. Two passes, with the help of Vincenzo D'Amico distracting the hosts' defence, and the Biancocelesti were in front. Torino 0 Lazio 1.
The Granata's reaction was fierce. In the 12th minute Massimo Cacciatori had to palm away a Renato Zaccarelli long range strike that was heading for the top hand corner. Torino then had another good chance but Greco's bicycle kick on a Roberto Salvadori cross was too central and Cacciatori saved again.
Torino were relentless and drew level in the 25th minute. Eraldo Pecci found Greco in a crowded area and the Toro striker chested the ball down and sent a left footed strike which took a slight deflection off Roberto Badiani and went in, to Cacciatori's right. Torino 1 Lazio 1. A deserved equaliser.
Only a minute later Toro almost went in front. Francesco Graziani put in a cross which Paolo Pulici sliced but the ball reached Zaccarelli who looked sure to score but his shot was deflected into corner.
The goal however was coming and it came in the 34th minute. It was Greco again who was the protagonist. He went past Pino Wilson and Badiani with a skilful flick and then coolly beat Cacciatori. Torino 2 Lazio 1.
Pecci was then too hesitant on a defensive blunder and Lazio reached halftime only a goal down, 2-1.
The second half started with Torino still on the front foot. There were several scrambles in the Lazio area and a dangerous shot by Patrizio Sala just over the bar.
Torino however, possibly thinking the game was in the bag or maybe just tiring, started to slow down and give Lazio more space. The Biancocelesti started to threaten more despite not having any shots on target.
In the 65th minute however, a Wilson header was tipped into the corner by Terraneo.
In the 70th minute Lazio threw on former Torino striker Aldo Cantarutti for midfielder Antonio "Totò" Lopez. Cantarutti's height led Torino manager Gigi Radice to change his markers. Roberto Mozzini was moved to control Cantarutti while Salvatore Vullo now followed Giordano.
In the 77th minute Lazio equalised. It was a fantastic goal by Giordano. The Trastevere born striker picked up the ball outside the box from Badiani and went on to beat both Claudio Onofri and Mozzini and place a low left foot inside the post to Terraneo's left. Torino 2 Lazio 2.
Torino pushed for a winner and went close with Greco and a Pulici volley but Lazio held out. Lazio were more than pleased with the away point while Torino showed frustration at the final whistle. Final score Torino 2 Lazio 2.
A good point for Lazio against superior opposition. A defensive game but with Giordano up front Lazio were always dangerous.
Lazio were still joint 7th but now only with Napoli on 13 points while Torino were joint 5th with Juventus on 14.
Who played for Torino
Substitutes: Copparoni, Erba, Iorio
Manager: Radice
Who played for Lazio
Cacciatori, Pighin, Badiani, Wilson, Manfredonia, Cordova, Agostinelli, A. Lopez (70' Cantarutti), Giordano, Nicoli, D'Amico
Manager: Lovati
Referee: Terpin
Goals: 7' Giordano, 25' Badiani (og), 34' Greco, 77' Giordano
What happened next
Lazio finished in 8th position on 29 points, missing out on a European UEFA participation by 3 points. Lazio won 9, drew 11 and lost 10.
The two best results were a 4-0 thumping of Fiorentina in February and in March Lazio triumphed in the derby against Roma. After being 1-0 down at half time (Cordova o.g.), Lazio equalised (De Sisti o.g) in the 56th and clinched the derby with a Nicoli 88th minute winner. On a personal note, that was the first time I saw Lazio defeat our eternal rivals live at the stadium, with the double satisfaction at the final whistle of seeing Roma supporters burning the seats in their own end (they were still made of wood in those days… the seats that is). Another funny episode was Paolo Ammoniaci being sent off in the 89th minute while he was coming onto the field, his 'game' lasted literally two seconds.
The season also had other satisfactions. Promising young full back Mauro Tassotti came up from the youth team and made 14 league appearances plus one in the Coppa Italia. He would later go on to have an excellent career but unfortunately with A.C Milan.
In the Coppa Italia Lazio lost to Palermo on penalties in the quarter final (after two nil-nil draws).
Lazio's centre-forward Bruno Giordano was Serie A top scorer with 19 goals (plus 2 in Coppa Italia).
Torino finished 4th and qualified for the UEFA Cup again. After today's game Toro won the next three and then won another 4, drew 7 and lost 3 (including derby 0-1). Top scorer was Paolo Pulici with 13 goals (10 in A).
Milan won the Scudetto for the 10th time and their first star while at the other end Vicenza, Atalanta and Verona slumped down to Serie B.
Let's talk about Bruno Giordano
Bruno Giordano is an idol for generations of Lazio fans growing up in the late 70's - early 80's.
Giordano was born in Rome on 13 August, 1956. He was born in the famous “Vicolo del Piede” in the historic district of Trastevere. He was known as “Il bomber di Trastevere“ all his career.
He joined Lazio as a teenager and was part of a highly talented youth sector. The Lazio Primavera with manager Paolo Carosi won the scudetto in 1975-76. In his squad he had the creme de la creme of Lazio youth: Bruno Giordano, Lionello Manfredonia, Andrea Agostinelli, Maurizio Montesi and Massimo De Santis.
He made his official club debut on 5 October 1975, when he came on as a substitute and scored the winner away at Sampdoria, latching on to a pass by Giorgio Chinaglia, his boyhood idol. He then became Lazio's number 9 when “Long John” left for New York Cosmos in 1976. Giordano became one of the best players of his generation and was top Serie A goal scorer in 1979 with 19 goals.
In 1980 however his career suffered a dramatic setback. He was accused, along with childhood friend and teammate Lionello Manfredonia, goalkeeper Massimo Cacciatori and Captain Giuseppe Wilson, of being involved in the “Totonero” match fixing scandal. The punishment was first an 18 month ban then increased on appeal to three-and-a-half years. Lazio as a club were also penalized for their players' alleged involvement and were relegated to Serie B.
Giordano has always proclaimed his innocence. “I had nothing to do with it. The ban was a blatant injustice, a ban based on no proof and none of the accusers mentioned my name”. The criminal judgement a year later gave a verdict of not guilty to all the players.
After Italy's World Cup triumph in 1982, two years were taken off all the bans, so Giordano and Manfredonia could start playing again.
When Giordano returned for the 1982-83 season Lazio were still languishing in the second division. He took up where he left off however and helped Lazio back into the big time with 18 goals.
The following season saw him experience another blow, breaking his leg at an away match at Ascoli. He was out for much of the second half of the season but did manage to return in time to help Lazio avoid relegation. A fate not even he could prevent a year later when, after a dismal season, Lazio were relegated. Giordano played a total of 260 games for his beloved home team (165 in Serie A, 38 in Serie B, 43 in Coppa Italia, 8 in the UEFA Cup and 6 in the Intertoto Cup) and scored 117 times (68 in Serie A, 18 in Serie B, 18 in Coppa Italia, 5 in the UEFA Cup and 8 in the Intertoto Cup).
In 1985 he moved to Napoli where he spent three highly successful years. He won a “scudetto” and a Coppa Italia in 1987 and was part of the formidable MA-GI-CA trio alongside Diego Armando Maradona and Careca and later Andrea Carnevale. He played 109 games for Napoli scoring 37 goals and setting up countless others.
His playing career continued at Ascoli, Bologna and again Ascoli before retiring in 1992.
He played 13 times for Italy, probably too few for a player of his calibre and class. His chances were hampered by the betting scandal and by the emergence of the less talented but incredible goal scoring machine, Paolo Rossi.
After his playing days he coached a myriad of club teams mainly between Serie B and C but never with the success he enjoyed as a player.
Giordano was a strong, yet skilful centre forward. He was a classy, technical attacker with a powerful finish. He was an all rounder, he could dribble, had pace, strength and could set up goals as well as score them. The great Argentine Maradona described Giordano as the best Italian he had ever played with and also said he was the most South American of them.
He was certainly an idol for generations of Lazio fans growing up in the late 70's - early 80's and “Bruno –gol” is undoubtedly up there with the club's all time greats and was definitely one of the most talented.
Giordano is still a Lazio fan and can regularly be heard discussing his beloved home team in the local press, media and radio stations.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup | Intertoto Cup |
1975-76 | 27 (7) | 14 (5) | - | 9 (1) | 4 (1) | |
1976-77 | 30 (13) | 26 (10) | - | 4 (3) | - | - |
1977-78 | 42 (27) | 29 (12) | - | 3 (3) | 4 (4) | 6 (8) |
1978-79 | 36 (21) | 30 (19) | - | 6 (2) | - | - |
1979-80 | 29 (12) | 23 (9) | - | 6 (3) | - | - |
1982-83 | 43 (21) | - | 38 (18) | 5 (3) | - | - |
1983-84 | 23 (8) | 18 (8) | - | 5 | - | - |
1984-85 | 30 (8) | 25 (5) | - | 5 (3) | - | - |
Total | 260 (117) | 165 (68) | 38 (18) | 43 (18) | 8 (5) | 6 (8) |
Sources
Giancarlo Governi. Bruno Giordano - Una vita sulle montagne russe. Fazi Editore, 2017
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