Could have been worse, could have been better
A last-minute penalty takes away a victory after a spectacular Giordano goal
Also on this day: January 16, 1994, Lazio Reggiana 2-0. After the disappointing game at Foggia the previous Sunday, the Biancocelesti play a much better match and beat Reggiana. Player of the day: Roberto Bacci
The season so far
The previous season had been rather disastrous. There was a new Presidency with Gian Casoni and there were promotion ambitions but the team did not live up to the expectations. It was so bad that the Biancocelesti needed a Vincenzo D’Amico hat trick to beat Varese coming from behind in the final game at the Olimpico to avoid Serie C.
This year the situation was completely different. Italy had won the World Cup and the Federation took two years off the suspensions for all the players involved in the match fixing scandal of 1980. As a consequence, Lazio stars Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia were available to play. The two, feeling guilty over what had happened, even if they probably did not do that much to be given such long sentences (three years and six months), had sworn that if they did come back to play, their first objective was to get Lazio back to Serie A. So, at least for moment, they were staying.
There was a massive coming and going in the summer transfer window. The club said goodbye to scudetto heroes Felice Pulici (retired) and Renzo Garlaschelli (Pavia) plus Giorgio Mastropasqua (Catania), Dario Pighin (Taranto), Alberto Bigon (Vicenza), Dario Sanguin (Perugia), Nando Viola (Genoa), Walter Speggiorin (Massese), Dario Marigo (Perugia). New arrivals were Fernando Orsi (Parma), Renato Miele (Catania), Gabriele Podavini (Brescia), Roberto Tavola (Juventus), Enrico Vella (Catania), Claudio Ambu (Perugia) plus the return from last year’s loans of Carlo Perrone and Stefano Chiodi.
The manager was Roberto Clagluna. He had substituted Ilario Castagner halfway through the previous season and had been confirmed.
The season opened with the Coppa Italia and Lazio did not make it to the next round. They lost against Avellino and Napoli and were unable to beat Atalanta at home so they arrived third by just one point.
In campionato the Biancocelesti started slowly with three draws but then a couple of changes allowed the team to blossom. Against Sambenedettese, Orsi substituted Maurizio Moscatelli, who was not performing well following his return to football after breaking his Achilles tendon, Renato Miele was placed at the centre of the defence and Marco Saltarelli was introduced as new left-back. Lazio won 1-0 so now there was a lot of enthusiasm. But there were still problems. The Biancocelesti struggled to beat Cremonese and lost at Bologna.
What followed was a vast improvement as Lazio won seven consecutive games plus a draw at Reggio Emilia. They were leading in Serie B two points clear of Milan. Next game, Lazio-Milan. This spectacular game ended 2-2 with the Biancocelesti equalising with Vincenzo D’Amico in the last minutes.
The game before this one Lazio had beaten Arezzo 2-0. The Biancocelesti were leading the table with a two-point lead over the Rossoneri.
The match: Sunday, January 16, 1983, Stadio Cibali, Catania
The Biancocelesti started the game with a great fear of losing. It did not help that Clagluna decided to substitute Claudio Ambu, suspended, with Maurizio Montesi instead of another forward like Stefano Chiodi. The result was that Bruno Giordano was left completely isolated in the desert up front whereas the rest of the team had to put up a wall in front of Nando Orsi.
Catania assaulted the Lazio fort right from the start, but the Biancocelesti managed to hold off the islanders' continued forays.
The second half was more even but Catania continued to be dangerous and had numerous chances. Then in the 78th minute a sign of light. D’Amico managed to conquer a ball at midfield and went forward. Ball to Giordano on the right who once in the box sent a spectacular curling shot that beat Marco Onorati. From possible collapse to possible win.
Catania poured forward for an equaliser but Lazio held them off well until in the 81st minute Manfredonia got a second yellow card and was sent off. The assault in the final minutes produced a penalty when Marco Saltarelli and Enrico Vella sandwiched Roberto Barozzi in the box. Ennio Mastalli took the penalty and the match ended in a draw.
A pity, but Lazio had done very little to win this game.
Who played for Catania
Onorati, C. Ranieri, Mosti (80' V. Marino), M. Giovannelli (80' Paganelli), Chinellato, Mastropasqua, Morra II, Mastalli, Barozzi, Crusco, Crialesi.
Substitutes Alonso, Ciampoli, Labrocca.
Manager: Di Marzio.
Who played for Lazio
Orsi, Badiani, Saltarelli, Vella, Miele, Perrone, Montesi, Manfredonia, Giordano, D’Amico, Tavola (88’ Pochesci)
Manager: Clagluna
Referee: Facchin
Goals: 78’ Giordano, 90’ Mastalli (pen)
What happened next
After this game things went south. In the next 16 games Lazio won only two. The Biancocelesti went into a long psychological and technical crisis. They had difficulties in scoring because they were not creating chances. Clagluna could not figure out a solution. In April Lazio dismally drew 0-0 three times and lost at home against Pistoiese and away to Varese.
The match against Reggiana on May 8 was fundamental. Serie A was slipping away. Lazio scored three times with Giordano but were unable to secure victory. Clagluna had to go in order to create a spark that could help Lazio get over the line. Old Lazio glory Giancarlo Morrone, who was managing the Primavera team, was called in to help create that spark. The next match things precipitated even further and Lazio lost 5-1 to Milan.
On Sunday May 22, Lazio fans woke up with heavy hearts. But when they went to buy their newspapers, they discovered that Giorgio Chinaglia wanted to buy Lazio. The enthusiasm that this news generated brought 55,000 people to Lazio Atalanta, a decisive game, and lifted the team to victory.
After a goalless draw at Arezzo the following Sunday came the mother of all games for Lazio at home against Catania. A win meant that only a point would then be needed to get promoted. And win it was thanks to a shot from Podavini deflected by Mastropasqua that made it 2-1. The last game against Cavese finished 2-2 and Lazio were finally in Serie A after three years.
Lazio 1982-83
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie B | 38 | 14 | 18 | 6 | 44 |
Coppa Italia | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Total | 43 | 16 | 19 | 8 | 52 |
Top five appearances (complete player statistics)
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
43 | 38 | 5 | |
42 | 38 | 4 | |
39 | 34 | 5 | |
38 | 34 | 4 | |
38 | 36 | 2 |
Top five goal scorers (complete player statistics)
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Bruno Giordano | 21 | 18 | 3 |
Enrico Vella | 5 | 5 | - |
Vincenzo D'Amico | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Lionello Manfredonia | 4 | 4 | - |
Claudio Ambu | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Let's talk about Roberto Tavola
Roberto Tavola was born on August 7 1957 in Lecco. He started playing football in the youth teams of Atalanta and debuted in Serie A on September 11, 1977 in the game against Perugia. He stayed four years with the Bergamaschi and in 1979 signed for Juventus. The Bianconeri always had an eye for talent and particularly for Atalanta talent and over the years have picked up numerous players from the Nerazzurri.
In his first year in Turin, he played 14 league games and scored two goals, but was unable to find regular space in the main team. In 1980 he was sent on loan to Caligari but played only slightly more (18 appearances with one goal). Back at Juve for the 1981-82 season, he made only three league appearances so in the summer of 1982 he was sent again on loan this time to Lazio.
Lazio were in Serie B but thanks to the return to active football of Giordano and Manfredonia, they were among the favourites for promotion. It was Tavola’s big chance, but even here he lacked the consistency to make more than 20 appearances. Lazio were promoted but he went back to Turin.
After another year mainly on the bench he signed for Reggina in Serie C1. He stayed in the third tier for the next seasons playing for Spal, Catanzaro and Ischia Isolaverde. His last two years were with Asti TSC and Seo Borgaro Torinese in the minor leagues.
Once he quit football, he began to manage some news kiosks in a few large Turin supermarkets but he continued to be involved with football managing local amateur teams.
At Lazio, Tavola was a disappointment. Great faith had been put in him but his contribution was minimal. At least the Biancocelesti reached promotion and he will be remembered for that.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1982-83 | 25 | 20 | 5 |
Sources
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