Iannuzzi day
Last second goal by a (hopefully) future star allows Lazio to avoid defeat
Also on this day: January 14, 1951, Lazio Bologna 1-0. An Arce goal was enough for Lazio to beat a disappointing Bologna. Player of the day: Dionisio Arce
The season so far
The transfer window started with a bang: Beppe Signori sold to Parma for 25 billion lire plus Dino Baggio and Pippo Inzaghi.
Lazio needed money so when the Parma President Calisto Tanzi, looking to make his team stronger, made the offer, Sergio Cragnotti saw no reason to say no. The rest of the world did however say no. Firstly, the fans who organised a demonstration. 5,000 people took to the streets to show their discontent over the deal. Secondly, the banks said that they would cover if the deal did not go through. Thirdly President Dino Zoff underlined all the technical problems that would have occurred in the case the deal was made. Lastly, Beppe Signori said no. So Signori stayed.
In hindsight, Cragnotti was probably right.
As a consequence, in the summer of 1995 Lazio did not sign anybody of particular interest with the exception of future legend Guerino Gottardi. On the other hand, many players waved goodbye: Roberto Cravero, Roberto Bacci, Mauro Bonomi and Paul Gascoigne, all players “chosen” during Dino Zoff’s stint as manager.
The season started very well with two consecutive wins. The highlight of the early part of was the 4-0 crushing of Juventus at the end of October. It was a demonstration of Lazio’s full potential and of just how lethal manager Zdenek Zeman’s teams could be. Two days later came the other side of the coin: Lazio were eliminated in the UEFA Cup by Olympique Lyonnais. This was an example of how the season panned out. Spectacular games (6-3 against Sampdoria for example) and dismal performances like losing to Vicenza and Piacenza. Lazio fans were used to it by now, but the question was: will we ever win anything with this inconsistency?
So far Lazio were fifth together with Roma and behind Milan, Fiorentina, Parma and Juventus.
The match: Sunday, January 14, 1996, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio were in an emergency. No Beppe Signori, no Alen Boksic, no Beppe Favalli. Torino also had their problems and were forced to play without Paolo Cristallini, Alessandro Dal Canto and Abedi Pelé.
Nothing much happened in the first half. A shot from Aron Winter saved by Massimiliano Caniato, a whack from Diego Fuser that shaved the crossbar. Torino held the fort well and in the 36th minute came close to scoring when an Antonino Bernardini shot went very close to the post.
Lazio were in two minds about what to do. Attack and give the Granata the opportunity for the counterattack or wait for the opponents to attack? At this point Zeman took off Massimiliano Esposito, Alessandro Romano and Fuser and threw in Alessandro Iannuzzi, Dario Marcolin and Cristiano Bergodi and the team showed some life. In the 67th minute Iannuzzi headed a perfect assist to Marcolin whose acrobatic shot was just slightly too high. Five minutes later Bergodi to Pierlugi Casiraghi, but his attempt was saved by the goalkeeper. With ten minutes to the end Ruggero Rizzitelli managed to move past Jose Chamot and Paolo Negro and present himself in front of Luca Marchegiani. Soft chip and Torino went ahead.
Lazio attacked furiously. First a Negro shot from inside the box was parried into corner. On the corner kick another magnificent Caniato save denied a possible equaliser. In the 93rd minute Marcolin crossed the ball into the box, Roberto Maltagliati went for the header, missed the ball and instinctively raised his hand to stop it. The referee indicated a penalty but the linesman convinced him otherwise and he opted for a free kick. It should have been a penalty. Iannuzzi, a specialist, was given Lazio’s last hope. And he did not disappoint. Marvellous curling shot and Lazio 1 Torino 1.
A difficult game, the Biancocelesti were still very far behind.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Romano (65’ Bergodi), Nesta, Di Matteo, Negro, Chamot, M. Esposito (62’ Iannuzzi), Fuser (65’ Marcolin), Casiraghi, Winter, Rambaudi.
Substitutes: F. Mancini, Piovanelli
Manager: Zeman
Who played for Torino
Caniato, Falcone, Maltagliati, Cravero, R. Bacci, Bernardini (73' Dionigi), Angloma, Minaudo, Milanese, Rizzitelli, Karic.
Substitutes: Biato, Sogliano, Longo, Sommese.
Manager: Scoglio.
Referee: Bettin
Goals: 80’ Rizzitelli, 93’ Iannuzzi
What happened next
Lazio closed the first half of the season fifth on 26 points. The Biancocelesti’s inconsistent year continued until March 24 when they lost to Cremonese. At that point the season seemed lost and was very disappointing. But the players found the strength to change things around and from then on Lazio never lost. In the last eight games the Biancocelesti won six and drew two and managed not only a UEFA Cup qualification for the next season but also a good third place. Just like last year, the team was able to turn things around with a great finale and reach an important objective.
Signori was top scorer in Serie A, together with Igor Protti, for the third time in four years. He scored a total of 26 goals that season. Paolo Negro and Diego Fuser had the most appearances (39).
Lazio 1995-96
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie A | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 66 |
Coppa Italia | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
UEFA Cup | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
Total | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 77 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
Fuser | 39 | 32 | 4 | 3 |
Negro | 39 | 31 | 4 | 4 |
Di Matteo | 38 | 31 | 3 | 4 |
Signori | 38 | 31 | 4 | 3 |
Chamot | 37 | 32 | 4 | 1 |
Winter | 37 | 30 | 3 | 4 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
Signori | 26 | 24 | 1 | 1 |
Casiraghi | 18 | 14 | - | 4 |
Winter | 7 | 6 | - | 1 |
Fuser | 6 | 6 | - | - |
Boksic | 4 | 4 | - | - |
Let's talk about Alessandro Iannuzzi
Alessandro Iannuzzi was supposed to be the future Lazio golden boy and many could have sworn he would have a great career. He was born in Rome on October 9, 1975 and started playing football in the Lazio youth teams from a very early age.
He was part of the team that won the scudetto in 1994-95 and it was his goal that secured the final victory against Perugia at the Stadio Olimpico on June 24 1995 in front of 30,000 spectators. Under manager Domenico Caso, his teammates included Alessandro Nesta, Marco Di Vaio and Flavio Roma.
He debuted in Serie A on December 10 of that year in the game Lazio lost at Parma. He made four appearances that season and scored the equalising goal in the game against Torino at home on January 14.
In 1996-97 he was sent on loan to Vicenza where he played 17 league games and scored two goals in Serie A. It was a great season and the small team managed to win the Coppa Italia. They eliminated Milan in the quarter finals and Bologna in the semis. In the first leg of the final they lost 1-0 to Napoli but in the return match after 90 minutes they had managed to equalise, so the final would be decided in extra time. Two minutes from the end Maurizio Rossi put Vicenza ahead and in the dying minutes Iannuzzi made it three. A triumph.
In the 1998-99 season, Iannuzzi was sent on loan to Lecce in Serie A. Here he started having physical problems that limited his league appearances to just 8. Back to Lazio the following year he managed to play a couple of games before he was sold to Milan in January 1999. Here the Milan Lab tried to get him back on his feet again but failed. Between 1998 and 2001 he made only 5 appearances: two with Lazio, three with Reggina and none for Milan or Monza.
In 2001-02 he signed for Messina and here he became a player again. He stayed two seasons with the Islanders with 44 appearances and 4 goals. Unfortunately, the problems resurfaced in 2003 when he signed for Perugia. He left during the season and moved to Pescara but made just 7 appearances. At Teramo in Serie C1 even less, five. In C2 with Gualdo he played the whole year but his career was practically over. His last years he spent playing in minor leagues with Monterotondo, Guidonia, Fidene, Vis Artena, Pro Calcio Sabina and Pianoscarano.
In 2011 he became a manager. After a year with Pro Calcio Sabina he started collaborating with the Lazio youth teams. He is currently assistant to the Under 18's team.
Iannuzzi was part of the Italy military team that won the gold medal in the Mediterranean games of Bari in 1997. He also has a cap with Italy’s Under 23s.
Iannuzzi would have been a great player if he had not had so many injuries. A pity.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1993-94 | 1 | - | 1 |
1995-96 | 4 (1) | 4 (1) | - |
1998-99 | 2 | 2 | - |
Total | 7 | 1 | 1 |
Sources
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