Game 8, Serie A
Sunday, November 15, 1959
Stadio Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Lazio Atalanta 1-1
A goal nine minutes from time by visitors forces Lazio to give up a deserved win
Lazio had got off to a satisfactory start in the league. They were currently on 7 points.
The match
It was a rainy day in Rome and the pitch was extremely wet and heavy. A crowd of about 10,000 showed up at the small Flaminio stadium, built for the 1960 Olympics.
Both sides had absences today. Lazio were without defenders Nicola Lo Buono and Adelmo Eufemi, midfielder Franco Carradori and forward Humberto Tozzi while the visitors were missing Swedish defender Bengt Gustavsson.
The Bergamaschi had the first dangerous attack when Angelo Longoni crossed, Giovanni Molino cleared but only as far as Pierluigi Ronzon whose good effort was saved by Idilio Cei.
Lazio reacted with Amos Mariani but Angelo Boccardi dived well and averted the threat.
There followed a lengthy period where nothing much happened.
Just after the half-hour things livened up. In the 32nd minute a move involving Bruno Franzini and Orlando Rozzoni was finished by Claudio Bizzarri but his shot went narrowly wide. In the 39th minute Lazio scored. It was Bizzarri again who got a strike in but Boccardi parried, the ball came back to the Maceratese forward, who this time found the target. Lazio 1 Atalanta 0.
Lazio attacked further on the waves of enthusiasm and Ugo Pozzan had two efforts blocked by defenders. However, just before halftime in the 44th minute, Cei saved the day rushing off his line and diving low to anticipate Zavaglio. Halftime score Lazio 1 Atalanta 0.
All in all, a fair score line as Lazio had more scoring opportunities.
In the second half Atalanta's Humberto Maschio was protagonist in the good and the bad when first he had a good effort go wide and then when he roughed up Franzini unseen by the referee.
Lazio then controlled the proceedings, first with a Mariani run and cross just missed by Rozzoni and Bizzarri, then in the 60th minute a lame shot by Rozzoni and then in the 63rd minute a colossal chance when Mariani had only the keeper to beat but Boccardi dived at his feet and avoided the "Dea" from capitulating.
In the 66th minute came a controversial episode. Atalanta full-back Stefano Angeleri clearly handballed in the area and while everyone was waiting for the whistle that never came, Bizzarri hesitated and Pietro Gardoni cleared.
At this point, with twenty minutes to go, the Orobici stirred and seemed to change gear. First Arturo Gentili had a shot deflected by Bizzarri that looked as if it had wrong footed Cei but the Lazio keeper sprung acrobatically and managed to get a hand to it. In the 81st minute however, the Nerazzurri scored. Longoni fed Zavaglio who went past Maurilio Prini and tried his luck, the ball somehow went through several players' legs and ended up in the back of the net. Lazio 1 Atalanta 1.
Lazio reacted furiously and pegged back the visitors in their own area. Their biggest chance came in the 84th minute and it was a double one. First Boccardi flew to parry a medium range shot by Rozzoni, the rebound fell to Oliviero Visentin who then hit the crossbar. Final score Lazio 1 Atalanta 1.
Lazio had played well, were unlucky at the end and would probably have a deserved a win more than Atalanta but the draw was not unfair at the end of the day.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Bernardini
Who played for Atalanta
Manager: Valcareggi
Referee: Righetti
Goals: 39' Bizzarri, 81' Longoni
Sources
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