Game 12, Serie A
Sunday, December 1, 1963
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio-Mantova 2-0
A goal per half by Morrone and Maraschi give Lazio deserved win
So far, Lazio had played ten games and had won 4 (SPAL 1-0 away, Genoa 1-0 at home and Messina 3-1 away, then changed to 2-0 to punish the hosts for crowd trouble and Bari 2-0 away), drawn 4 (Fiorentina 1-1 at home on debut, Milan 1-1, Catania 0-0 at home and Roma 0-0) and lost 2 (Vicenza 0-1 at home and Modena 1-2 away). A reasonable start and Lazio were in 6th place on 12 points.
The match: Sunday, December 1, 1963, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A cold, grey day in the capital saw about 35,000 turn up at the Olimpico.
Lazio had no major absences, but compared to their last match fielded Paolo Carosi instead of Nello Governato and Massimo Giacomini (making his home debut) rather than Carlo Galli.
Mantova, on the other hand, had several players missing: Ermanno Tarabbia, Sergio Pini, Gigi Simoni (future Lazio manager), Torbjorn Jonsson and Bruno Nicolè all unavailable.
Lazio started with the usual distraction when a misunderstanding between Vincenzo Gasperi and Graziano Landoni in midfield let Mantova fly off on the counter attack, leading Sergio Pelizzaro to enter the area with only Idilio Cei to beat, but the Lazio keeper pulled off a brilliant save.
Having recovered from the scare, Lazio started to attack. Juan Carlos Morrone was particularly active despite being marked by tough German defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger.
In the 17th minute Lazio took the lead. It was the "Gaucho" Morrone who beat Dino Zoff with a close-range shot. Lazio 1 Mantova 0.
A Mantova reaction was expected but did not come. It was instead the Biancocelesti who went close to doubling their lead several times.
In the 28th minute Orlando Rozzoni headed just wide from a Mario Maraschi cross. In the 35th minute Maraschi then had a long-range shot go just out and in the last minute Morrone went through the whole defence but was then denied by Zoff. Halftime Lazio 1 Mantova 0.
After a shaky start the hosts had been by far the better team.
In the second half the Lombards looked more up for a fight but rarely threatened. An exception was in the 60th minute but Tomeazzi's powerful shot was central and blocked by Cei.
Lazio controlled and were dangerous on the break. Between the 65th and 70th minute they went close again with Landoni, Rozzoni and Giacomini.
In the 74th minute Morrone was hacked down by Italo Mazzero and the referee awarded Lazio a freekick from an inviting position. Maraschi stepped up and sent a shot, with the outside of his foot, into the top hand corner to Zoff's right. Lazio 2 Mantova 0.
Mantova only had one real chance to pull one back but it was a big one when in the 88th minute Mazzero hit the crossbar. Final score Lazio 2 Mantova 0.
A good win for Lazio who had been superior to the Virgiliani. Lazio were now up to joint 5th place with Vicenza on 14 points.
Mantova were down to joint 11th with SPAL, Genoa and Torino on 9 points but now only one point above third bottom Sampdoria and Catania (SPAL had beaten Roma 2-0).
Who played for Lazio
Manager: Lorenzo
Who played for Mantova
Zoff, Schnellinger, Corradi, Mazzero, Cancian, Giagnoni, Pellizzaro, Tomeazzi, Volpi, Manganotto, Recagni
Manager: Bonizzoni
Referee: Grignani
Goals: 17' Morrone, 74' Maraschi
Sources
Comments