Final!!!
By crushing Ideale Bari 6-0, Lazio reached the final of the Southern League
Also on this day: June 10, 1951, Milan Lazio 1-2. Lazio surprise Milan but the Rossoneri win the scudetto just the same. Lazio Legend of the day: Primo Sentimenti V
The season so far
In the summer Lazio had had to say goodbye to Giuseppe Fioranti and Carlo Maranghi who had been among the pioneers as far as football in Rome was concerned. They were replaced by Ettore Agazzani and Ottavio Regazzoni who were doing their military service in Rome.
The 1922-23 season saw the participation of 56 teams divided into a Northern League and a Southern one.
In the North, the 36 teams were divided into three groups of 12 with the top club moving to the semi-final stage. Pro Vercelli won Group A, Genoa Group B and Padova Group C. These three teams would now have to face each other in a final group to determine who would play the national final.
In the South there were four groups: Campania with 5 teams, Lazio with 6, Apulia with 5, Sicily with 3 and then Marche with one team that went directly to the semi-final group.
Savoia and Internaples qualified for Campania, Pro Italia Taranto and Ideale Bari for Apulia, Libertas Palermo for Sicily and Anconitania for Marche.
As far as the Lazio group was concerned it had been a battle between Lazio, Alba and Fortitudo. By battle, we really mean battle, since there were brawls on the pitch, between fans and even referees joined in. Some of the matches had to be suspended and repeated. Lazio won their group by winning 8 games, drawing one and losing one against US Romana. Alba were the other team to qualify for the next phase.
The qualifiers were divided into two groups of four. Lazio were with Ideale Bari, Libertas Palermo and Internaples. So far, they had won every game. The table read Lazio 10 points, Ideale Bari 8, Libertas Palermo 1 (with a one-point docking), Internaples 0. The Biancocelesti needed just one point to qualify for the Southern League final.
The match: Sunday June 10, 1923, Campo Rondinella, Rome
This game was a must win for Ideale Bari if they wanted to reach the final of the Southern League and the Apulians started well with a Geruzzi shot that went wide. Dante Filippi had a chance after a great assist from Fulvio Bernardini but the little forward wasted too much time and then shot too high.
Lazio’s first goal arrived in the 9th minute when Fernando Saraceni I headed the ball towards Pio Maneschi who with a powerful shot beat Sebastiani.
In the 20th minute Aldo Fraschetti crossed into the box and Bernardini volleyed the ball in. After an Augusto Parboni shot parried by Sebastiani, the Biancocelesti made it three. Fraschetti crossed, Bernardini headed the ball and hit the post, ball back in the penalty area to Maneschi, big whack, crossbar, Saraceni II tried for the third time and was lucky. Lazio 3 Ideale 0.
The Apulians continued to attack and had two opportunities towards the end of the first 45 minutes first with Cassano, who did not take advantage of a Ugo Dosio error, followed by a Maselli header parried by Ettore Agazzani on a Geruzzi cross. In the 43rd minute a foul on the goalkeeper by Maneschi saw a violent reaction from Giuseppe Ugenti. The referee sent them both off.
In the second half the Biancocelesti dominated. In the 47th minute Bernardini scored but the ref had stopped play awarding Lazio a penalty for a hand ball. Fuffo took the spot kick, and shot wide. In the 53rd minute there was a free kick for the Biancocelesti and this time Bernardini scored. In the 72nd minute a long ball into the box from Bernardini saw the Ideale Bari goalkeeper go for the catch, but he was anticipated by Filippi who had no problem in scoring Lazio’s fifth.
Ideale had a chance with Giovanni Solfrizzi on a free kick but Agazzani parried and later Geruzzi on another free kick hit the woodwork. In the 89th minute after a Bernardini slalom, Parboni tried a shot that went in under the crossbar.
Lazio dominated and deservedly reached the Southern League final.
Who played for Lazio
Agazzani, Saraceni I, Dosio, Parboni, Faccani, Orazi I, Fraschetti, Filippi, Bernardini, Maneschi, Saraceni II
Manager: Baccani
Who played for Ideale Bari
Sebastiani, Turchiarulo, Cavaliere (II), Alboreto, Vacca, Piscopo, Cassano, Ugenti (IV), Maselli, Solfrizi, Geruzzi
Referee: Majani
Goals: 9’ Maneschi, 20’ Bernardini, 31 Saraceni II, 53’ Bernardini, 72’ Filippi, 89’ Parboni
What happened next
In the Southern final Lazio played Savoia. They drew 3-3 in Campania and won 4-1 at home.
For the national final Lazio played against Genoa. Impossible for the Biancocelesti to win, the difference between the two teams was enormous, 10 of Genoa’s players were in the Nazionale. Lazio lost 4-1 away and 2-0 at home. However, it was a great achievement for the Biancocelesti.
Lazio’s top scorer was Fulvio Bernardini with 20 goals.
Lazio 1922-23
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
National Championship | 20 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 65 |
Top five appearances
Player | National Championship |
Agazzani | 20 |
Saraceni I | 20 |
Fraschetti | 20 |
Filippi | 20 |
Bernardini | 20 |
Maneschi | 20 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | National Championship |
Bernardini | 20 |
Filippi | 15 |
Maneschi | 14 |
Regazzoni | 4 |
Fraschetti | 3 |
Let’s talk about Ettore Agazzani
Ettore Agazzani was born on September 19, 1902 in Albinea near Reggio Emilia. He was the first Reggiana goalkeeper since he was in goal when the club was founded in 1919. After a couple of years, he had to go to Rome in 1922 to do his military service and while he was there, he played for Lazio. When Fulvio Bernardini was moved to centre forward, Matteo Salineri took his place but soon he stopped playing in goal. As a consequence, it was then up to Agazzani.
It was a good year for the Biancocelesti as they managed to reach the national final, losing to a much stronger Genoa. Despite the defeat he was considered one of the best players on the pitch. In total, he made 19 appearances in the 1922-23 season.
When he finished his military service, he returned to Reggio Emilia and was one of the protagonists of Reggiana’s promotion to the first division.
He died in Reggio Emilia on September 1, 1989.
Lazio Career
Season | Total National Championship appearances |
1922-23 | 19 |
Sources
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