Game 23, Serie A
Sunday, March 9, 1980
Stadio Comunale, Turin
Juventus Lazio 0-0
Juventus attack for most of match but Cacciatori saves give Lazio useful and unexpected point
Today's game in Turin had an extremely high quotient of difficulty and few believed Lazio stood much chance.
A nice, sunny day in Turin brought about 30,000 spectators to the old Comunale.
Lazio were without Mauro Tassotti and Antonio Lopez while Juventus were missing their striker Roberto Bettega.
Lazio played in uncharacteristic red shirts while the Zebras wore their usual black and white stripes.
This was the first game since the accusations of match fixing had emerged and there was a strange sense of limbo in the air.
Juventus had played Rijeka away on Wednesday and Lazio were hoping they could be a little tired.
From the early stages it didn't seem so and the Bianconeri attacked. The home side pegged Lazio back and had several chances to go in front. First Claudio Gentile brought the ball down well in the area and blasted a low shot but Massimo Cacciatori saved well. The next chance was for Pietro Virdis, set up by Pietro Fanna, he went round Cacciatori but from the by-line hit the side netting. Thirdly a good move between Franco Causio and Antonio Cabrini saw the left full-back put in a perfect cross for Fanna whose close-range header was superbly saved by Cacciatori. Finally, Tardelli had a double effort, first with a low shot and then with a subsequent header, after Cacciatori had saved with the spinning up into the air, but the keeper was there again. Halftime Juventus 0 Lazio 0.
One way traffic so far with Cacciatori keeping Lazio in the game but Pino Wilson and Filippo Citterio also playing well.
The beginning of the second half saw Lazio have a rare corner and a chance. The ball fell to Vincenzo Zucchini inside the area, he had time to take aim but his shot went wide. The goal area had been crowded but he should have done better.
Then it was all Juventus again but without all the first half chances. They did however threaten a couple of times. First Virdis had a close-range shot saved by Cacciatori after a scramble in the box.
In the 88th minute Lazio were reduced to ten men when Lionello Manfredonia was shown a second yellow card and then the consequent red. The Lazio defender had engaged in a ferocious battle with Domenico Marocchino for the whole game.
Then, in the dying seconds, a Gentile low shot towards goal was contested by both Cacciatori and Virdis and continued its path trickling towards the far post where Zucchini cleared it off the line.
Lazio resisted and picked up an extremely useful and unexpected point. Full time Juventus 0 Lazio 0.
Juventus had attacked for most of the game but, missing Roberto Bettega, had not been clinical in front of goal. It was the "Zebra's" fourth consecutive goalless draw.
Lazio had played an excellent defensive game with the midfield and forwards also sacrificing themselves for the cause. The main hero however was Cacciatori who had made at least five or six decisive saves
Lazio with the point were solitary in 13th place but, for once, the good news was that Roma had won beating Catanzaro 1-0 with a Roberto Pruzzo penalty. This meant Lazio now had a four-point cushion on the Calabresi with seven games to go.
Juventus meanwhile, along with Milan, were caught up by both Ascoli and Roma in 2nd place while Avellino dropped down to joint 3rd with Perugia.
Who played for Juventus
Zoff, Cuccureddu, Cabrini, Furino, Gentile, Scirea, Marocchino, Tardelli, Virdis, Causio, Fanna
Substitutes: Baratella, Brio, Prandelli
Manager: Trapattoni
Who played for Lazio
Cacciatori, Pighin, Citterio, Wilson, Manfredonia, Zucchini, Garlaschelli, Manzoni, Giordano, D'Amico (81' Cenci), Viola
Manager: Lovati
Referee: D'Elia
Red Card: 88' Manfredonia
Sources
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