Game 20, Serie A
Sunday, March 10, 1974
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Cesena 2-0
Despite missing vital players, Lazio easily beat Cesena with goals from Chinaglia and Nanni in the first half.
Lazio started slowly, but at the end of the first half of the season they were first with a three-point lead over Juventus, Fiorentina and Napoli. They were amazing to watch, a marvellous football team with great players in every position. Nobody thought that they could continue playing as well as the previous season, but they did and went even further. Glory was so close …
The match
Lazio came into the match with three vital pieces missing: Sergio Petrelli, Luigi Martini and Luciano Re Cecconi were substituted by Luigi Polentes, Fausto Inselvini and Pierpaolo Manservisi.
Despite the difficulties, Lazio charged forward right from the word go and a Giorgio Chinaglia header went just wide. In the 25th minute the Lazio centre-forward was clearly fouled in the box but the referee was looking the other way. Five minutes later Cesena almost scored. Giuliano Bertarelli crossed from the left, Giancarlo Oddi could not intercept, and the ball fell to Giovanni Toschi. Felice Pulici managed to save with the help of the crossbar.
The danger translated into increased effort from the Biancocelesti and in the 32nd minute a Franco Nanni shot was saved in two attempts by Lamberto Boranga. Three minutes later Lazio scored. Long cross in the box from Mario Frustalupi, the ball reached Chinaglia who had no problem in beating the Cesena goalkeeper.
Five minutes later, Lazio made it two. Manservisi to Nanni who dummied a shot with his right foot to then shoot with his left. 2-0.
Cesena had a chance in the 43rd minute but Otello Catania’s shot went wide.
The second half was rather boring as Lazio decided to control the game and not push as hard. After a Renzo Garlaschelli header went just wide in the 50th minute, Cesena had a colossal chance in the 56th minute. Gian Luigi Savoldi, entered the penalty box, dribbled past Pulici but his shot was saved on the line by Giuseppe Wilson. The match ended with another Garlaschelli attempt, well saved by Boranga.
Lazio maintained the three-point lead.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Polentes, Inselvini, Wilson, Oddi, Nanni, Garlaschelli, D’Amico (75’ Borgo), Chinaglia, Frustalupi, Manservisi
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Cesena
Boranga, Danova, Ammoniaci, Festa (62' Orlandi), Zaniboni, Cera, Catania, Brignani, Bertarelli, Savoldi II, Toschi
Substitutes: Mantovani, Braida
Manager: Bersellini
Referee: Agnolin
Goals: 35’ Chinaglia, 40’ Nanni
Sources
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