Game 21, Serie A
Sunday, February 21, 1943
Stadio Benito Mussolini, Turin
Juventus Lazio 2-4
An easy win for Lazio over a terrible Juventus
The season so far
Playing football while elsewhere there was a World War cannot have been easy for the players nor for the fans. But the show must go on and there was a Serie A to be played. Lazio so far had had many ups and downs. They were currently tenth.
The match
The game looked like going Lazio’s way right from the very start with Aldo Puccinelli having a chance in the opening minutes. Juventus tried to move the ball around between the great Giuseppe Meazza and Vittorio Sentimenti III, but they could not out play the Biancocelesti today.
In the 16th minute Silvio Piola on the left with a spectacular acrobatic bicycle kick sent the ball into the middle of the box. Two Juventus defenders clashed in an attempt to get the ball, so Silvestro Pisa found himself with all the time in the world to make it 1-0.
Seven minutes later Lazio made it two. Luciano Ramella took a free kick but the ball came back to him. He promptly passed it to Piola who turned and shot. 2-0 for Lazio.
Everybody was waiting for a reaction from the Bianconeri, but nothing came. In the second half Lazio consolidated their lead with a one-two in eight minutes. In the 63rd minute Petar Manola sent the ball into the box, Puccinelli was quicker than the Juve defence and made it three. Eight minutes later another free kick for Lazio. Big whack by Salvatore Gualtieri and it was 4-0.
Juventus mustered up some courage and determination and reduced the deficit twice in four minutes. First Riza Lushta tapped the ball in after Alessandro Ferri had saved a Meazza shot on the line in the 77th minute and then in the 81st minute Sentimenti III scored thanks to a Lushta assist. But it was too late.
Who played for Juventus
Sentimenti IV, Foni, Rava, Depetrini, Parola, Locatelli, Sentimenti III, Varglien II, Meazza, Lushta, Magni.
Manager: Rosetta
Who played for Lazio
Gradella, Romagnoli II, Monza II, Gualtieri, Ramella, Ferri, Manola, Pisa I, Piola, Borici, Puccinelli
Manager: Popovic
Referee: Curradi
Goals: 16’ Pisa, 23’ Piola, 63’ Puccinelli, 71’ Gualtieri, 77’ Lushta, 81’ Sentimenti III
Sources