Game 15, Serie A
Sunday, January 8, 1967
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Bologna 2-1
Lazio scored two in the first six minutes and despite a late scare managed to secure victory
In Serie A, the Biancocelesti had been even more disappointing than the previous year. They were 15th, in the relegation zone (four would go down to Serie B due to the decision to reduce the Serie A teams to 16 following the 1966 World Cup debacle against North Korea) and had a long way to go to get out of the troubled waters. Mannocci was sacked in November and replaced by Maino Neri. Lazio were 15th and had won only twice (Lecco away and Inter at home). They really needed another win.
The match
Maino Neri decided not to play Can Bartu, with whom he had a heated argument during the week, but had Paolo Carosi back, pardoned by the disciplinary authorities. Enrico Burlando and Pietro Adorni were out due to injury. Bologna, much criticized in recent weeks, had three significant absences: Harald Nielsen, Franco Janich and Ezio Pascutti.
Lazio scored immediately. In the 2nd minute, a Giancarlo Morrone-Arrigo Dolso one-two gave the latter a good chance. With his first shot he hit the post, with his second he scored. It was his first goal in Serie A. Bologna could have equalised immediately with a Helmut Haller header that went just over the crossbar. Lazio doubled their lead in the 6th minute. Corner kick, Vito D'Amato headed towards the goal, Carlo Furlanis cleared short and Morrone volleyed the ball into the net: 2-0 for Lazio in just six minutes! Shortly after Morrone could have trebled, but his shot shaved the post. The Rossoblu reacted and Bruno Pace in the 10th minute, Haller in the 14th and Faustino Turra in the 20th were dangerous but Idilio Cei never lost his cool. Great battle in midfield with Dolso and Rino Marchesi having the better of Romano Fogli and Giacomo Bulgarelli, while Haller took over, confirming himself as one of the strongest footballers in the world. Carosi tried everything to stop the German but with poor results. In the 40th and 41st minutes, a double chance for Pace before Morrone gave a great assist to Romano Bagatti who forced Vavassori into an excellent save.
The second half saw Bologna still projected forward with a superb Haller who forced Cei into an excellent save. Break for Lazio on the counterattack. Morrone gave a great ball to Bagatti who went past Giuseppe Vavassori and passed to the centre for the solitary D'Amato who only needed to accompany the ball into the net, but the number seven fired a shot which hit the crossbar: an unforgivable mistake. In the 55th minute Bulgarelli tried a shot and Cei tipped the ball away from under the crossbar. Six minutes later the goalkeeper repeated himself on a Giovanni Vastola header. His magical series of saves continued in the 73rd minute when he parried a missile from Turra and another shot from Mario Ardizzon. In the 79th minute, however, Bologna crowned their efforts. It was Haller with a very precise low shot. Lazio got scared and retreated to defend their lead. Only Morrone sometimes tried to counterattack, but his initiatives for the attackers were never used properly. Heart-pounding final minutes. Huge mistake by Carosi and Bulgarelli shot towards goal: Diego Zanetti intervened and the ball hit the crossbar with Carosi eventually managing to clear it away. Sixty seconds from the end Marino Perani tried a shot and Dotti's fundamental header saved the victory.
Important two points for Lazio.
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Neri
Who played for Bologna
Vavassori, Furlanis, Ardizzon, Turra, Muccini, Fogli, Perani, Bulgarelli, Pace, Haller, Vastola
Manager: Carniglia
Referee: Angonese
Goals: 2’ Dolso, 6’ Morrone, 79’ Haller
Sources
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