Best game of the season so far
Lazio demolish Fiorentina thanks to Tozzi, Vivolo and Selmosson in their best game so far
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The season so far
The previous season Lazio had arrived an excellent 3rd in the company of Inter. Great results with victories over Juventus, Milan (both home and away), Inter away and one of the derbies. The Biancocelesti had started so-so but after manager Luigi Ferrero was sacked and technical director Roberto Copernico left, the team had been taken over by Jesse Carver and Lazio flourished in the second part of the season.
Jesse Carver was confirmed and despite numerous difficulties at the club, several interesting players had arrived: defender Adelmo Eufemi (Livorno), midfielders Luigi Moltrasio (Torino) and Umberto Pinardi (Udinese) plus forwards Humberto Tozzi (Palmeiras) and Karl Aage Præst, legendary winger who had made 233 League appearances with Juventus. Leaving were Francesco Antonazzi (Chinotto Neri), Attilio Giovannini (Nissena), Giorgio Bravi (Taranto), Renzo Sassi (Udinese), Angelo Villa (Spal), Brunello Cocciuti (Reggina) and Rinaldo Olivieri (Triestina).
At the club, President Costantino Tessarolo and his deputy Mario Vaselli had had many economic difficulties. They had promised the players a 2 million lire bonus for the third place but they did not have the cash. The players and managers threatened to strike.
The problems resulted in a terrible start for Lazio, and after eight games they were bottom. But once the economic problems were temporarily solved, the team started to be more concentrated and the Biancocelesti had begun to climb up the table. At the end of the first half of the season Lazio were 4th with Napoli and Sampdoria, just six points away from the leaders Milan.
They continued to play well in the second part of the year with draws against Juventus and in the derby, and were currently third together with Inter, just two points off second placed Fiorentina. Milan were miles ahead and very close to winning the scudetto.
The match: Sunday, February 10, 1957, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Fiorentina had a lot of absences including future Lazio players Orlando Rozzoni, Maurilio Prini and Claudio Bizzarri and the Biancocelesti certainly took advantage of the situation.
Lazio started well with attempts from Humberto Tozzi, Primo Sentimenti V and Pasquale Vivolo but Riccardo Toros did not have to work too much. Towards mid half Fiorentina regained control and were dangerous with Julinho who first shaved the crossbar with a miskick and then, after dribbling past three Lazio players, let go of a missile which Bob Lovati managed to save into corner.
The Biancocelesti woke up towards the end of the first half and scored. Ermes Muccinelli to Arne Selmosson who passed to Sentimenti V. Cross into the box, Vivolo tried a header which became an assist for Tozzi who with a volley made it 1-0.
In the 47th minute, Luigi Moltrasio gave an excellent ball to Muccinelli who ran into the box and was fouled. Penalty to Lazio and Vivolo made no mistake.
Fiorentina were on their knees. In the 55th minute spectacular passing between Vivolo and Muccinelli, ball to Selmosson who passed to Tozzi but with an exceptional defensive play Ardico Magnini managed to salvage the situation.
Giovanni Molino and Armando Segato were sent off after a heated argument and Fiorentina tried a desperate comeback but with no results. In the 90th minute Selmosson dispossessed Sergio Cervato and in front of Toros made it 3-0.
Fantastic game from Lazio and great win.
Who played for Lazio
Lovati, Molino, Eufemi, Carradori, Pinardi, Moltrasio, Muccinelli, Tozzi, Vivolo, Sentimenti V, Selmosson
Manager: Carver
Who played for Fiorentina
Toros II, Magnini, Cervato, Scaramucci, Orzan II, Segato, Julinho, Gratton, Taccola, Montuori, Carpanesi
Manager: Bernardini
Referee: Pieri
Goals: 45’ Tozzi, 48’ Vivolo (pen), 90’ Selmosson
What happened next
Lazio finished third for the second consecutive year. Another excellent result, despite the initial problems. After beating future champions Milan 3-0 they also won away against Inter. They finished the season with a 6-2 win away at Palermo.
Molino, Lovati and Selmosson had the most appearances (34) and the Swede the most goals (12).
What happened in Serie A 1956-57
The previous season had seen Fiorentina with their first scudetto. The win had never been in much doubt as halfway the Viola already had a five-point lead. Milan came second, 12 points behind, with Inter and Lazio third.
Obviously, Fiorentina were favourites this year especially because of the convincing way they had won the previous scudetto. During the summer transfer window Milan had sold Gunnar Nordhal to Roma, hence the Giallorossi had to be considered as possible outsiders.
September
Fiorentina crushed Udinese 5-2 away in their first game but then drew at home with Lazio and lost against Torino. A surprisingly bad start for the favourites. Sampdoria and Milan who won all three of the September games were hence leading, but there was still a long way to go.
Sampdoria 6, Milan 6, Juventus 5, Napoli 5, Genoa 4, Roma 4, Fiorentina 3, Inter 3, Torino 3, Lazio 3, Palermo 2, Udinese 2, Atalanta 2, Spal 2, Bologna 1, Triestina 1, Vicenza 1, Padova 1
October
Sampdoria continued their good start and now led alone also thanks to the win in the derby. Napoli, who had beaten Milan away, were just one point behind. The Rossoneri lost in Padua too but drew the derby. The Turin clash also ended in a draw while Roma crushed Lazio 3-0. The Biancocelesti had a terrible start and were last.
Sampdoria 11, Napoli 10, Milan 9, Juventus 8, Inter 8, Torino 8, Roma 8, Fiorentina 8, Triestina 7, Udinese 7, Palermo 6, Genoa 6, Padova 6, Atalanta 6, Bologna 5, Spal 5, Vicenza 4, Lazio 4
November
Milan overtook Sampdoria after a win in Turin against Juventus. Fiorentina finally started to move up and were just a point away. Lazio left the bottom spot after beating Udinese.
In the first leg of the first round of the European Cup, Fiorentina drew at home against IFK Norrkoping but managed to win away in the second leg and go through to the quarter finals.
Milan 13, Sampdoria 12, Fiorentina 12, Inter 11, Napoli 11, Triestina 10, Juventus 9, Palermo 9, Torino 9, Bologna 8, Roma 8, Padova 8, Atalanta 8, Udinese 7, Vicenza 7, Lazio 7, Spal 7, Genoa 6
December
Just before Christmas Inter caught up with Milan after the Rossoneri were beaten in Genoa by Sampdoria and the Neroazzurri beat Fiorentina. But a week after they fell in Udine so Milan closed the year top with the Viola one point behind.
Milan 18, Fiorentina 17, Juventus 16, Inter 16, Sampdoria 15, Napoli 14, Udinese 13*, Padova 13, Lazio 13, Roma 12, Torino 12, Triestina 12, Spal 12, Bologna 11, Vicenza 10, Atalanta 10*, Palermo 10, Genoa 8
* one game in hand
January
Milan increased the lead to +4 as Fiorentina lost 4-0 in Vicenza and drew in Bergamo. Lazio had improved considerably and were only two points behind the Viola. Below, things were looking grim for Torino, but there was still the whole of the second part of the season to be played.
Milan 25, Fiorentina 21, Inter 20, Napoli 19, Sampdoria 19, Lazio 19, Juventus 18, Bologna 17, Roma 17, Triestina 17, Padova 16, Udinese 16, Atalanta 15, Genoa 15, Spal 14, Vicenza 13, Palermo 13, Torino 12
February
Milan went off alone and now had a six-point lead over Inter. Lazio demolished Fiorentina 3-0 and moved to third place. Below Torino moved up one place. A lot of teams in just a few points, anything could still happen in the relegation battle with ten games to the end of the season.
In the quarter finals of the European Cup, Fiorentina beat Grasshopper 5-3 on aggregate. They won the first leg 3-1 in Florence and drew 2-2 the second.
Milan 32, Inter 26, Fiorentina 25, Lazio 25, Sampdoria 24, Roma 22, Napoli 22, Juventus 21, Bologna 20, Udinese 20, Spal 20, Padova 19, Atalanta 18, Triestina 18, Genoa 18, Vicenza 17, Torino 16, Palermo 15
March
Despite losing in Udine, Milan increased the lead to +8 and the scudetto was virtually theirs. The Rome derby ended in a draw, Juventus crushed Inter 5-1 but lost the derby, the Milan intercity clash finished 1-1. Five games left with four teams, Atalanta, Vicenza, Genoa and Palermo, fighting to avoid the two relegations.
Milan 39, Fiorentina 31, Inter 30, Sampdoria 29, Lazio 29, Roma 27, Napoli 27, Udinese 27, Spal 27, Bologna 24, Juventus 24, Torino 24, Padova 24, Triestina 24, Atalanta 22, Vicenza 20, Genoa 20, Palermo 20
April
Lazio continued their good season by beating Milan 3-0. The Rossoneri still had a six-point lead over Fiorentina. The Biancocelesti were now third since the Viola beat Inter. With five matches left, Palermo looked doomed but there were still a lot of teams involved in the relegation battle, to some extent even Juventus.
Fiorentina qualified for the final of the European Cup. They were faced with Red Star Belgrade and won away 1-0 to then draw 0-0 in the return match. They would face the mighty Real Madrid who had eliminated Manchester United.
Milan 43, Fiorentina 37, Lazio 34, Inter 33, Sampdoria 31, Udinese 31, Spal 30, Roma 29, Napoli 29, Torino 28, Bologna 27, Juventus 26, Padova 26, Triestina 26, Vicenza 25, Genoa 24, Atalanta 23, Palermo 20
May
With a 2-2 draw against Torino, Milan won the scudetto three games early. Fiorentina had lost at home to Atalanta. Lazio consolidated their third place winning away at Inter. Juventus moved out of trouble but it was still rather uncertain who would join Palermo in Serie B.
Real Madrid beat Fiorentina 2-0 in the final of the European Cup held in the Spanish capital.
Milan 46, Fiorentina 38, Lazio 37, Udinese 34, Inter 33, Sampdoria 33, Roma 31, Torino 31, Juventus 30, Spal 30, Bologna 29, Vicenza 29, Napoli 29, Padova 28, Triestina 27, Genoa 26, Atalanta 25, Palermo 22
June
With the scudetto race over, all eyes were on the battle for relegation. With two games to go, and one space left, Atalanta and Genoa were on 27 points, Vicenza and Triestina on 29. In the penultimate matches, Atalanta beat Roma, Genoa and Vicenza drew, Triestina lost against Juve. Coming into the final game, Vicenza 30 points, Triestina and Atalanta 29, Genoa 28. The last battles were Vicenza-Milan, Genoa-Napoli, Triestina-Atalanta.
After the first 45 minutes, Genoa were winning, the other two games were still goalless. But in the second half Atalanta scored and won and Vicenza beat Milan, hence it was Triestina to go down to Serie B together with Palermo.
Top scorer was Dino Da Costa (Roma) with 22 goals.
Coming up from Serie B were Verona and Alessandria.
Final table: Milan 48, Fiorentina 42, Lazio 41, Udinese 36, Inter 35, Bologna 35, Torino 35, Sampdoria 35, Juventus 33, Spal 33, Vicenza 32, Napoli 32, Padova 32, Roma 31, Atalanta 31, Genoa 30, Triestina 29, Palermo 22
Sources
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