Game 36, Serie B
Sunday, June 4, 1972
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Foggia 2-0
Lazio beat Foggia 2-0 with goals by Massa and Chinaglia and can almost touch Serie A paradise
So far Lazio had performed well. The Biancocelesti had won 16, drawn 12 and lost 7. They were in second place on 44 points. The table read: Ternana 46, Lazio 44, Palermo 44, Como 43, Reggina 42, Cesena 39, Perugia 39. There were three games to go and this was Lazio's last home fixture. The promotion slots were three so it does not take a mathematician to understand today's two points were essential.
The match
It was a hot June day in Rome but Lazio had to be willing to push themselves for the two points. A good crowd of 40,000 chose the stadium over the sea.
Lazio started the game a bit tense and Foggia, with no anxiety whatsoever, controlled the midfield in the early stages. Giancarlo Morrone, Paolo Garzelli and especially Luciano Re Cecconi were playing well.
The first chance in fact fell to Foggia. Former player and future Lazio manager, Morrone perfectly teed up Giuseppe Pavone in front of goal but Bandoni rushed off his line and blocked the shot.
Lazio gradually shook off their nerves and grew into the game. Giuseppe Massa in particular was lively and in the 23rd minute skipped through several defenders but his shot shaved the post. "Peppiniello" was dangerous again six minutes later when, set up by a Mario Facco header, his went high. Giorgio Chinaglia too stirred and had a header cleared off the line by Re Cecconi.
Just before halftime Lazio finally scored. A brilliant move by Massa who danced past Pellegrino Valente, Re Cecconi and Giovanni Pirazzini and, with only Raffaele Trentini to beat, hammered the ball under the crossbar. Lazio 1 Foggia 0. After a tentative start a well deserved lead for the Biancocelesti.
In the second half Lazio soon eased their worries and doubled their lead. Pino Wilson came out of defence on one of his classy attacking forays and passed to Chinaglia storming in on the right, "Long John" turned and with a cross goal, low shot beat Trentini. Lazio 2 Foggia 0.
From this point on Lazio were in complete control. Cheered on by a rampant home crowd the "Eagles" had several more chances with Chinaglia and Alessandro Abbondanza but the score line did not change. Final score Lazio 2 Foggia 0.
An ultimately comfortable win for Lazio after an uneasy start. For Foggia, Re Cecconi had impressed in midfield.
Lazio gathered at midfield to thank and bid farewell to their fans. The players then went under the Curva Sud (the switch to Nord was still a few years off) to wave goodbye to the more passionate sector. Hopefully they would meet again in Serie A.
New table Ternana 48, Lazio 46, Palermo 45, Como 44, Reggina 43, Perugia 42, Cesena 42. Things were looking even better but still three points were needed in the last two away games to definitely clinch promotion.
Who played for Lazio
Bandoni, Facco, Papadopulo, Wilson, Polentes, Martini, Massa, Nanni, Chinaglia, Moschino (83' Gritti), Abbondanza
Substitutes: Di Vincenzo
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Foggia
Trentini, Cimenti, Valente, Pirazzini, Lenzi, Re Cecconi, Saltutti, Garzelli, Rognoni, Morrone, Pavone
Substitutes: Crespan, Berta
Manager: Puricelli
Referee: Moretto
Goals: 45' Massa, 49' Chinaglia
Sources
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