Rossi rises to the occasion
A Rossi double and goals from D’Amico and Viola demolish Fiorentina
Also on this day: February 20, 1949, Lazio Palermo 5-1. A Penzo hat trick plus goals from De Andreis and Puccinelli annihilate Palermo. Lazio Legend of the day: Aldo Puccinelli
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth. Needing at least a draw in the last match of the season at Como, the Biancocelesti fell behind 2-0 after just 15 minutes. But then two goals, by Bruno Giordano and Roberto Badiani, gave them the vital point.
Lazio had started with Giulio Corsini as manager but following problems with the team, and Giorgio Chinaglia in particular, he was sacked and replaced by Tommaso Maestrelli. The maestro had been diagnosed with cancer in 1975, but apparently a new treatment had cured him and he was able to go back to his job. He however got worse towards the end of the season so President Umberto Lenzini was forced to make a change. Maestrelli stayed as Technical Director.
Brazilian Luis Vinicio was chosen. Vinicio had been manager at Napoli and he was the first in Italy to play the Dutch "Zona" (new deal) style of football, thus breaking away from the traditional man to man marking. Especially from his second year, with the arrival of defender Tarcisio Burgnich, Vinicio played the "total football" way. A revolution in Italy.
Lenzini, Maestrelli and Vinicio decided to avoid risks and to choose players that could adapt to the new style of play. In came second goalkeeper Claudio Garella (Novara), defender Dario Pighin (Palermo) and forward Renzo Rossi (Como). Also returning was midfielder Fernando Viola from his loan to Cagliari.
Lazio also scored a coup and signed the Roma captain Ciccio Cordova. Cordova in 1972 became Roma captain and was one of the more popular players, but he was linked to the past president Alvaro Marchini (he had married Marchini’s daughter Simona) and never got on with the new one, Gaetano Anzalone. After a disappointing 1975-76 season, Anzalone decided to get rid of the old players and start from scratch with a new, younger and more motivated team. Cordova was up for sale after 285 games for the Giallorossi in nine years. Anzalone sold him to Verona without saying anything to the player during the negotiations. Ciccio, heartbroken, felt betrayed by the club he supported and broke his contract with Rome thus becoming a free agent.
Nobody was interested in signing him and he risked having to quit football at 32. He really wanted to stay in Rome, so when Lazio knocked at his door, he took the opportunity and signed for the Biancocelesti. With this move he continued to play football, in the city he loved, and could be a thorn in Anzalone’s side. Perfect. Lazio had been looking for a playmaker ever since they disastrously sold Mario Frustalupi and Cordova was their ideal player. Not everybody at Lazio was happy, especially Luciano Re Cecconi, but the fans accepted him immediately.
Vinicio had introduced a few young players in the squad: Giordano, who had played well the previous year in Serie A with and in place of Chinaglia, Lionello Manfredonia and Andrea Agostinelli.
The season was however marred by tragedy. On December 4 Maestrelli died. The Biancoceleste derby win was the last present his boys were able to give him. Furthermore, on January 18, Luciano Re Cecconi was shot by a jeweller as he walked into his shop. He was only 28 years of age.
On the pitch Lazio has started well and after winning the derby at the end of November they were third. But since then, they had not won a match and were currently 8th.
The match: Sunday, February 20, 1977, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio had Bruno Giordano and Renzo Garlaschelli suspended plus Gigi Martini who was still in shock over the death of his friend Re Cecconi. So, space for Renzo Rossi and Fernando Viola.
Fiorentina began well and scored in the 10th minute with Gianfranco Casarsa but Viola managed to equalise four minutes later. The visitors lost Sergio Zuccheri due to injury and manager Carlo Mazzone had to re-organise the defence. He did not do a good job judging by the consequent Biancoceleste first half onslaught.
In the 31st minute Rossi took advantage of a complete no show by the Fiorentina defence and Vincenzo D’Amico with a fantastic free kick six minutes later gave Lazio the double advantage, which became 4-1 at the end of the first half again thanks to Rossi.
Nothing much happened in the second 45 minutes. Lazio were content with what they had produced in the first half and Fiorentina lacked the strength to reduce the deficit.
Finally, a win for the Biancocelesti after eight games in which they had only earned five points.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Pighin, Ammoniaci, Wilson, Manfredonia, Cordova, Rossi, Agostinelli, Viola, D’Amico (83’ Lopez), Badiani
Manager: Vinicio
Who played for Fiorentina
Mattolini, Tendi, Rossinelli, Pellegrini E., Galdiolo, Zuccheri S. (14' Restelli), Caso, Gola, Casarsa, Antognoni, Bertarelli.
Substitutes: Ginulfi, Bagnato.
Manager: Mazzone
Referee: Mattei
Goals: 10' Casarsa, 14' Viola, 31' Rossi, 37' D'Amico, 45' Rossi
What happened next
With five matches to the end of the season Lazio were seventh in the company of Roma, one point behind Perugia and two from Napoli and Fiorentina. Fifth position guaranteed a UEFA Cup qualification. The Biancocelesti caught up with Perugia in the next game after a goalless draw against Torino at the Olimpico but were still three points away from Napoli in fifth.
By the way, that draw de facto handed Juventus the title since the two teams were on equal points at the top of the table, but that day Juve beat Napoli and gained a one-point lead which they kept to the end.
With three to go, Napoli had lost at home, Perugia away and Lazio had drawn at Verona. So, Napoli 29 points, Lazio 27, Perugia, Foggia, Roma, Verona 26. In the last home game the Biancocelesti beat Cesena 3-0 and Perugia beat Napoli. Lazio and Napoli had 29 points, Perugia 28.
In the last game of the season the Biancocelesti won at Catanzaro and Napoli lost at home to Fiorentina. Lazio qualified for the UEFA Cup.
A big surprise, but Vinicio was able to mix experienced players with young ones and this was the positive result.
Three players had the most appearances this season: Badiani, Cordova and Pulici (34). Top scorer was Giordano with 13 goals overall.
Lazio 1976-77
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 34 |
Coppa Italia | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 8 |
Total | 34 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 42 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Cordova | 34 | 30 | 4 |
Badiani | 34 | 30 | 4 |
Pulici | 34 | 30 | 4 |
Ammoniaci | 33 | 29 | 4 |
Wilson | 33 | 29 | 4 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Giordano | 13 | 10 | 3 |
Garlaschelli | 5 | 5 | - |
Rossi | 4 | 4 | - |
Martini | 3 | 3 | - |
Cordova | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D'Amico | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Let's talk about Renzo Rossi
Renzo Rossi was born on January 23, 1951, in Giacciano con Baruchella, near Rovigo. He started playing football in Serie D with Passirio Merano. He stayed in the fourth tier until 1973 when he signed for Como. After a year when he was in the first eleven and scored seven league goals in Serie B, he was noticed by Inter. He went to Milan and debuted in Serie A on November 10 in the derby. But he played just 8 league games with one goal and in 1975 went back to the lakeside. Como in the meantime had been promoted to Serie A but they were immediately relegated.
In 1976 he signed for Lazio. The Biancocelesti were looking for a backup forward who could help their rising star, Bruno Giordano. He stayed just one year, made 16 appearances and scored four goals.
In 1977 he moved to Catanzaro where he stayed for two seasons, the first in Serie B and the second in Serie A. He ended his career at Taranto where he played for three seasons from 1979 to 1981.
Renzo Rossi will be remembered mainly for being with Re Cecconi earlier in the evening he died. He had then left Cecco and Ghedin's company because he had things to do. Later that evening Re Cecconi was shot as he entered a jeweller’s.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1976-77 | 19 (4) | 15 (4) | 4 |
Sources
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