Game 2 Serie A
Sunday, October 1, 1972
Stadio Comunale, Florence
Fiorentina Lazio 0-1
A Garlaschelli first half goal gives Lazio important win
In Serie A Lazio made their debut a week earlier and had drawn 0-0 at home to Inter but played well.
Fiorentina had won on their debut, defeating Sampdoria 1-0 away with an Orlandini winner.
A difficult game to predict today between a solid Serie A side against an ambitious and enthusiastic newly promoted one.
The match
A mild and sunny day in the "Città nobile", ideal for a game of football with about 40,000 spectators.
Lazio had not won in Florence for 15 years but would also take a point today. The Biancocelesti were still without Vincenzo D'Amico injured while the hosts had no absences.
The game started and the first chance was for Fiorentina. In the 2nd minute a Nevio Scala initiative found Sergio Clerici whose shot was saved acrobatically by Felice Pulici.
Lazio then took control and dominated the midfield with the Luciano Re Cecconi-Mario Frustalupi-Franco Nanni trio.
In the 14th minute Renzo Garlaschelli shaved the crossbar with the keeper beaten.
Fiorentina reappeared in the 17th minute when Claudio Merlo crossed and Nello Saltutti's header went just wide.
A minute later Lazio got the breakthrough. Re Cecconi found Garlaschelli on the vertex of the area, a position more suitable for a cross than a shot, the Lazio winger stopped the ball and volleyed it under the crossbar on the far post. A superb goal and Fiorentina 0 Lazio 1.
Lazio did not defend their lead but chose to attack. The Biancocelesti went close to doubling their lead with Giorgio Chinaglia and Pierpaolo Manservisi. Fiorentina were taken aback by Lazio's confidence and aggressive approach while their star striker Sergio Clerici was marked off the field by Giancarlo Oddi. Halftime Fiorentina 0 Lazio 1.
A more than deserved lead so far with a superlative box to box performance by Re Cecconi.
In the second half Fiorentina inevitably had to throw caution to the wind and throw themselves forward. They went close to equalising in the 61st minute when on a Clerici low cross both Saltutti and Giancarlo De Sisti were centimetres away from the tap-in.
The scare pushed Lazio to start attacking again which they did until the end of the game albeit not creating any really dangerous chances. Fiorentina disappeared and never threatened Lazio’s area again. Lazio saw out the game with surprising authority and were applauded off the field by their travelling fans. Final score Fiorentina 0 Lazio 1.
An impressive win by Lazio against one of the better Serie A sides in recent years. Lazio had been quicker, more agile and slicker than a disappointing Viola. The first half in particular had shown Lazio were a quality team. In the second they had continued to be in control and were never put in difficulty by the Gigliati.
Next up was a big home game against the "Old Lady" of Italian football and reigning champions Juventus.
Who played for Fiorentina
Superchi, Galdiolo, Longoni, Scala, Brizi, Orlandini, Merlo, Sormani, Clerici, De Sisti, Saltutti
Substitutes: Migliorini, Perego
Manager: Liedholm
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Facco, Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Nanni, Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, Manservisi
Manager: Maestrelli
Referee: Casarin
Goal: 18' Garlaschelli
What happened next
Lazio drew 1-1 with Juventus and went on to have a wonderful season playing great football. Over the next 27 matches the Biancocelesti won 15, drew 10 and lost 2.
This meant that going into the last fixture, the table read: Milan 44, Lazio and Juventus 43. Milan were soon 0-4 down at Verona (Milan had played Cup Winners Cup final midweek) and at halftime Lazio were drawing 0-0 in Naples and Juventus losing 0-1 to Roma, in Rome. A playoff between Lazio and Milan was on the cards. Then unfortunately, almost surely thanks to "financial incentives" and personal interests, Roma stopped playing and lost while Napoli, also apparently paid off by the "Old Lady" played the game of their lives, scored in the 88th minute and acted as if they had won the World Cup.
Juventus overtook both Lazio and Milan.
A pity for Lazio but they had played great football and had an excellent season finishing 3rd (UEFA Cup). They also won both derbies (1-0, 2-0). Top scorer was Giorgio Chinaglia with 11 goals (10 in A). The following year would be different but that's another story.
Fiorentina finished 4th (UEFA Cup). The Viola then won 15 (including Juventus 2-1 and Milan 3-1 at home), drew 5 (including Lazio 0-0) and lost 8. Top scorer was Sergio Clerici with 18 goals (10 in A).
Fiorentina were knocked out by Vitória Setúbal on away goals and lost the final of the Anglo-Italian Cup to Newcastle United 1-2 at home.
With Juventus champions for the 15th time the other verdicts were Atalanta, Palermo and Ternana down to Serie B. Bring on 1973-74...
Lazio 1972-73
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie A | 30 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 33 |
Coppa Italia | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Anglo-Italian Cup | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Total | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 38 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Anglo-Italian Cup |
Chinaglia | 37 | 30 | 4 | 3 |
Oddi | 36 | 30 | 4 | 2 |
Frustalupi | 36 | 30 | 4 | 2 |
Pulici | 36 | 30 | 4 | 2 |
Wilson | 36 | 30 | 4 | 2 |
Top goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Anglo-Italian Cup |
Chinaglia | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
Nanni | 7 | 7 | - | - |
Garlaschelli | 7 | 7 | - | - |
La Rosa | 3 | 2 | - | 1 |
Let’s talk about Andrea Chini
Andrea Chini was born in Florence on November 6 1948.
He arrived at Lazio in 1968 from Grassina Firenze. He spent his first year in the youth team and then in 1969-70 became the 4th keeper behind Rosario Di Vincenzo, Michelangelo Sulfaro and Giorgio Fiorucci. He sat on the bench twice as number 12 that season.
In 1970-71 he spent a year at Palestrina, near Rome, on loan in Serie D where he made 31 league appearances.
In 1971-72 he went to Alessandria on loan for a season. The Grigi were in Serie C and finished 2nd, narrowly missing out on promotion. Chini played 4 league games. One of his teammates were former Lazio, Giuseppe Lorenzetti (academy and then 1967-69), Claudio Di Pucchio (1966-67 and 1968-69), Gianni Sassaroli (academy and then 1964-65 and 1966-68) and Vincenzo Farinelli (academy and then 1964-66 and 1967-68).
In 1972-73 he was back at Lazio and was 3rd keeper behind Felice Pulici and Avelino Moriggi. Chini was on the bench as reserve seven times but never made his debut. Lazio went close to the Scudetto but finished 3rd.
In 1973-74 he went on loan to Pro Salerno in Serie D.
In 1974-75 he signed for Reggina in Serie C for one year. He played 7 league games and the Amaranto finished 6th under future Lazio sporting director, Carlo Regalia (1986-87 and 1991-92).
He then moved to the west coast of Sicily and joined Trapani in Serie C. He stayed four seasons, from 1975 to 1979 and the Granata finished 11th, 5th, 13th and 17th (relegated). Chini played 140 league games. His teammates included former Lazio, Arrigo Dolso (1966-69 and 1970-71).
Chini then moved just down the coast to Marsala in C2. He stayed two seasons and the Azzurri finished 12th and 4th. He played 68 league games.
His last club was Cosenza, in Calabria, in Serie C2. He only played 1 league game and then retired. The "Lupi della Sila" (Sila Wolves) finished 2nd and were promoted.
Chini was a goalkeeper. He played 251 games in his career. At Trapani in particular they have fond memories of him.
At Lazio he lived the build up to the epic Scudetto, living that period first hand but he never made his first team debut.
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