Game 5, Serie B
Sunday, October 11, 1987
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Cremonese 1-0
An afternoon game played under floodlights and suspended for ten minutes is decided by a Monelli winner
The main objective however this year was promotion back to Serie A. In the league so far Lazio had played four games and had won 1 (Sambenedettese 2-0 at home on debut), drawn 2 (Modena 0-0 away and Bologna 2-2 at home ) and lost 1 (Messina 0-1 away). The Biancocelesti were joint 7th on 4 points with four other teams but only one point from 3rd place.
Lazio's hesitant start plus a disappointing 3-3 draw with amateurs Fondi (near Latina, south of Rome) in a friendly three days earlier meant the feeling around the campaign was already slightly negative. As one knows, however it doesn't take much in Rome to transform negativity into positivity and vice versa.
The match
A dark, rainy day in Rome and just under 30,000 wet souls in the stadium.
The pitch was heavy and slippery. It was so gloomy that after five minutes of play the referee requested that the floodlights be turned on. Three minutes later things degenerated and the rain became torrential even washing away the benches. The referee was forced to suspend the game for about seven minutes until the worst was over. After the drama the game then resumed but still under floodlights.
So, to the game. Lazio had the whole squad available while the visitors were missing midfielder Marco Merlo and forward Marco Nicoletti.
The first chance was for the Lombards in the 9th minute when neither Claudio Bencina nor Claudio Pelosi were quick enough to punish Silvano Martina's short parry on an Alviero Chiorri freekick.
The game was lively despite the conditions. Lazio pushed forward and had chances with Luca Brunetti and Paolo Monelli shots, a Giuseppe Galderisi acrobatic effort plus Ciro Muro and Angelo Gregucci headers. In the 34th minute Lazio had a huge opportunity but Paolo Beruatto with only the keeper to beat went for force rather than precision and Michelangelo Rampulla saved well.
The Cremonesi were cautious but in the 37th minute hit the crossbar with a thundering long range shot by Attilio Lombardo.
Lazio then slowed down and halftime arrived with the game still goalless.
Lazio had attacked more and would have deserved to be in front, but Cremonese had hit the crossbar.
By the time the second half started it had stopped raining. In the 55th minute Lazio scored. Muro and Raimondo Marino combined on the left and the latter put in a low, crisp cross which went right through the defence and found Monelli on the far post, the striker had an easy task to slot the ball in from close range. Lazio 1 Cremonese 0.
Lazio had worked hard for the lead and now they sat back and waited for the Tigers' reaction.
It came and in the 67th minute they went close with a Bencina header from a Chiorri header which Martina managed to slap away to his left.
Cremonese made the first substitution when in the 70th minute they replaced Pierangelo Avanzi with Luciano Feliciani. The Grigiorossi had other attempts with a freekick by Chiorri in the 72nd minute and a Lombardo shot in the 75th but they were comfortably blocked by Lazio's Bosnian born keeper.
Lazio then buttoned up more, taking off Ciro Muro and putting on a more defensive and physical Gabriele Savino in the 78th minute.
Cremonese continued to put pressure on the Biancocelesti but had no more real chances to equalise. Lazio defended well but one criticism could be that they failed to be particularly dangerous on the counter attack, bar one shot by Galderisi late on. Lazio held on for an important win. Final score Lazio 1 Cremonese 0.
Lazio had played well for almost an hour, attacking constantly and creating chances. After the breakthrough they had tried to control the game without running excessive risks. A positive performance but the Biancocelesti would have to continue pushing for a second goal or be more threatening on the break to be sure of winning these sorts of games.
Cremonese were a well-balanced and organised team, confirming their aspirations to fight for Serie A until the end.
Lazio were now up to joint 3rd with Bari and Bologna, still one point from the last promotion slot. Cremonese were joint 4th with Atalanta, Genoa and Brescia.
Who played for Lazio
Martina, Brunetti, Beruatto (86' Piscedda), Pin, Gregucci, Marino, Camolese, Acerbis, Galderisi, Muro (78' Savino), Monelli
Manager: Fascetti
Who played for Cremonese
Rampulla, Garzilli, Rizzardi, Piccioni, Montorfano, Citterio, Lombardo, Avanzi (70' Feliciani), Pelosi, Bencina, Chiorri
Substitutes: Violini, Torri, Gualco
Manager: Mazzia
Referee: Amendolia
Goal: 55' Monelli
Sources
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