Motivations and Ziroli get the better of Torino
Lazio, with more to play for, defeat a relaxed Toro with a goal by their top scorer
Also on this day: June 1, 1986, Lazio - Empoli 0-0. Lazio attack for most of match but unable to break down defensive Tuscans. Player of the day: Giuseppe Corti
The season so far
This 1929-30 season was the first single national Serie A table.
The previous year Lazio had come joint 8th with Napoli in the National B group. They then had a playoff against the "Partenopei " to decide which team would gain the last place in the following year's single Serie A. The game was played in Milan and ended up 2-2 also after extra-time but luckily the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) then decided to give them both access without replaying the match (no penalty shoot outs in those days). Lazio had changed managers three times: Austrian Franz Sedlacek (1-3), Fernando Saraceni (4-14), Augusto Rangone (15-23) and finally Hungarian Ferenc Molnar (24-34).
For the 1929-30 season Lazio started with Molnar again, he had then been replaced by Pietro Piselli but then the Magyar returned. He was on the bench today. Lazio had a few new players this season: defenders Alfredo Foni (Udinese) and Orlando Tognotti (Genova 1893), midfielder Mario Malatesta (Spezia) and forward Luigi Ziroli (Serenissima). The main players leaving were midfielders Paolo Paganini (Napoli) and Gino Lamon I (Padova) plus forward Arnoldo Vaccari (Parma).
So far Lazio had struggled in this new league formula. The Biancocelesti had won 8, drawn 8 and lost 13. They were on 24 points. Top scorer was Ziroli with 10 goals.
Torino had won their first Scudetto two years earlier. Last year Toro had come top in the A group but they then lost the Scudetto final to Bologna 0-1 in a "bella" (a third decisive match) after 1-3 and 1-0 (no away goals yet). Their manager was future Lazio, Austrian Tony Cargnelli and top scorer was Gino Rossetti II with 36 goals.
This year Cargnelli had stayed on but then was replaced by fellow Austrian, and another future Lazio, Karl Stürmer in November. The "Granata" were not doing quite as well this year. So far they had won 15 (including Lazio 1-0) drawn 6 and lost 8, so on 36 points, well behind frontrunners Ambrosiana and Genoa and were in 4th place. Gino Rossetti II was still scoring but not as regularly, 16 goals.
With five games remaining today's game meant more to Lazio, who needed points to avoid relegation, than Torino who were without title hopes or relegation worries.
The match: Sunday, June 1, 1930, Stadio Rondinella, Rome
A perfect day for football in Rome, bright and warm.
Before kick-off Lazio gave the Torino and Italy captain, Adolfo Baloncieri, a silver cigarette holder for his achievements. He was one of the few surviving players from the title winning side; others were Feliciano Monti, Enrico Colombari, Mario Sperone and Gino Rossetti.
Lazio too had a few absences in Orlando Tognotti, Renato Bottacini and Marino Furlani.
Straight from the 16.10 kick-off Lazio took siege on the Granata area. Lazio had several chances; a Mario Malatesta shot well saved by Stevan Tommei, a Ziroli bicycle kick just wide and a Ugo Ciabattini effort over the bar. The biggest opportunity however was for the visitors. A perfect through ball by Rossetti put Francesco Imberti in front of goal but the youngster incredibly put a feeble shot wide. Lazio regained control and had an excellent shot by Pietro Pastore saved, various scrambles and half chances to take the lead. Lazio on top but halftime 0-0.
The second half started at a faster pace. Torino were more positive and Ezio Sclavi had slightly more to do. It was Lazio, however, who scored in the 54th minute. Malatesta passed to Pastore who, seeing everyone marked tried a shot, the ball struck the crossbar and bounced back into play where Ziroli nodded it in to score, with the keeper still on the ground. Lazio 1 Torino 0.
Torino reacted but it was Lazio again who went closer to scoring. Ziroli in particular was lively with several shots either saved or just out and Pastore missed an open goal. Lazio were almost punished in the 77th minute, but Sclavi was alert on a dangerous low cross.
Then it was more from Lazio again. More pressure and a thundering shot by Carlo Cevenini that hit the underside crossbar and bounced near the goal line. A corner each at the end did not bear any fruits and the game came to an end. Lazio 1 Torino 0.
The fans applauded both teams and again showed their respect and appreciation to Baloncieri.
Lazio had deserved the win. They had spent three-quarters of the match in Torino's half and had more chances. Standout players were Cevenini and Malatesta but especially match winner Ziroli.
Torino paid for the lack of motivation. The old guard had played well but were not helped by the younger players especially in attack.
Who played for Lazio
Sclavi, Mattei II, Saraceni II, Foni, Pardini, Caimmi, Ciabattini, Malatesta, Pastore, Ziroli, Cevenini V
Manager: Molnar
Who played for Torino
Tommei, Panosetti, Monti III, Vay, Colombari, Sperone, Casaro, Baloncieri, Imberti, Rossetti, Silano
Manager: Stürmer
Referee: Guarnieri
Goal: 54' Ziroli
What happened next
Lazio lost the next two games (Napoli 3-0, Livorno 4-0) but then beat Pro Vercelli 3-2 to reach safety. They then lost the last game 3-1 away to Juventus. Lazio finished 15th after 10 wins, 8 draws and 16 defeats. Top scorer was Ziroli with 11 goals.
Torino beat Ambrosiana (Inter) 4-1 a week later (Imberti came good with a brace). In the last three they drew 1 (Milan) and lost 2 (Roma and Pro Patria. Torino finished 4th after 16 wins, 7 draws and 11 defeats. Top scorer was Rossetti II with 17 goals while Baloncieri got 10.
The Scudetto was won by Ambrosiana (Football Club Internazionale Milano, better known as Inter, was forced to change names to Ambrosiana - more Italian – in 1928 but in 1932 they changed to Ambrosiana Inter and after the war went back to the old name) for their 3rd title. Leaving the first ever single Serie A were Padova and Cremonese.
Lazio 1929-30
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 49 |
Top appearances
Players | Serie A |
Sclavi | 31 |
Ziroli | 31 |
Caimmi | 30 |
Pardini | 28 |
Top five goal scorers
Players | Serie A |
Ziroli | 11 |
Pastore | 11 |
Malatesta | 9 |
Spivach | 8 |
Rieri | 6 |
Let's talk about Alfredo Foni
Alfredo Foni was born in Udine, on January 20, 1911.
At 16 he started playing for his hometown team Udinese. He made 3 appearances before being bought by Lazio in 1929.
In Rome, despite his young age, he did well. In his first year he was coached first by Molnar, then Pietro Piselli and then Molnar again. It was the first single national Serie A and Foni made 19 appearances with one goal. Lazio finished 15th.
The following year Molnar stayed until May, then came Cesare Migliorini and finally, for the last three matches, Brazilian Amílcar. Foni played 20 league matches and scored 2 goals (Legnano, Roma). Yes, Foni scored in a 1-1 draw in Roma's Testaccio den. This was only the second season with derbies (Roma recently formed in 1927) and Lazio’s first unbeaten. Lazio had a better season in general too and came 8th. Unfortunately this was also Foni's last with Lazio as he joined Padova.
He stayed three seasons with the Patavini. The first was in Serie B and the "Biancoscudati" (The White- Shielded) were promoted. Foni had an excellent season playing 30 games with 15 goals (as a defender). In Serie A, over the following two seasons, he played 66 games with 4 goals (Juventus, Palermo Triestina x2) and Padova came 14th and 16th (relegated) under Hungarian János Vanicsek. By this point he had been noticed by the big teams and with Padova's relegation he moved to Turin.
In 1934 Foni joined Juventus. He would stay with the "Old Lady" for thirteen years. Between 1934 and 1942 he did not miss a single match. He ended up playing 266 league games for the Bianconeri with 5 goals. Along with fellow full-back Pietro Rava he made up one of the best defences in Italian history. In Turin he won a Scudetto (1935) and 2 Coppa Italia (1938, 1942).
In 1948 he joined Chiasso in Switzerland but only played 3 games before retiring.
At international level Foni won 23 Italy caps. He won an Olympic gold medal in Berlin 1936 as captain. He then won the biggest prize of all, the World Cup in France 1936. Foni played the quarterfinal, semi-final and the final where Italy defeated Hungary 4-2 (with 2 goals by Lazio’s Silvio Piola).
After retiring, Foni became a manager. He was successful there too. He started at Venezia (B) then Casale (C), Pavia (C), Sampdoria (A). In 1952 he joined Inter for three years and won 2 Scudetti in 1953 and 1954. He worked for the national team commission between 1954 (for one year had a double job) until1958. In 1957 he was the "Azzurri" manager but they failed to qualify for the Sweden 1958 World Cup, also due to the "disastro di Belfast'' (The Belfast disaster) when Italy lost to Northern Ireland (one of Italy's lowest points with North Korea in 1966 and North Macedonia in 2022).
In 1958 Foni returned to club football and joined Bologna for a year as technical director. He then returned to Rome for two years, but as manager on the Giallorosso side of town. In 1961 he won the Fairs Cup. He then had a season at home at Udinese (A but relegated). In 1963 he returned to Roma but was sacked after 8 games. He then became manager of Switzerland for three years (1964-67). The Swiss got to England 1966 but lost 3 out of 3.
He returned to club football again in 1968 and went back to Inter finishing 4th. His last coaching experiences between 1970 and 1977 were with Bellinzona (Swiss A, relegated), Mantova (A, relegated) and Lugano (Swiss A, 1974, 12th and Swiss B, 1977, 4th).
At 66 Foni also retired as a manager. He died at Breganzona, near Lugano, in Switzerland on January 28, 1985.
Foni was an excellent full-back. One of the best of his generation. He played in Serie A for 16 years. He won a Scudetto as a player and two as a manager. He played for his country and managed his country. He won a World Cup as a player and was included in the tournament's best XI.
At Lazio he only played two seasons between the ages of 18 and 20. He performed well and it was obvious he was destined for an illustrious career. His winning the World Cup in 1938 alongside Silvio Piola would have made all Lazio fans proud at the time. Alfredo Foni, a name to remember.
Lazio career
Season | Serie A Appearances | Serie A Goals |
1929-30 | 19 | 1 |
1930-31 | 20 | 2 |
Total | 39 | 3 |
Sources
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