Game 10, Serie A
Sunday, December 11, 1977
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio Napoli 1-1
A late goal by Juliano snatches a point but all in all it was a fair result
So far in Serie A Lazio had played 9, they had lost the opener 1-2 away to Genoa but then, after two 1-1 draws, beaten Juventus 3-0 at the Olimpico. Since then the Biancocelesti had won 1 (Pescara 2-1 at home), drawn 3 (Inter 1-1 away, Foggia 1-1 at home and the derby 0-0) and lost 1 (Vicenza 1-2 away). Lazio had 9 points.
In Serie A, after nine games the Partenopei had 10 points, one more than Lazio. They had won 4 (Pescara 3-1, Roma 2-0, Perugia 3-2 and Verona 3-0), drawn 2 (Genoa 0-0 and Atalanta 1-1) and lost 3 (Juventus 1-2, Inter 0-1 and Torino 0-1).
Today's game, between two similar teams, was open to any result.
The match
A sunny December day in Rome for this centre-south derby and a crowd of just over 50,000 at the Olimpico.
Lazio were without four players: Paolo Ammoniaci, Roberto Badiani, Vincenzo D'Amico and Gigi Martini. They were replaced by Dario Pighin, Luigi Boccolini, Totó Lopez and Pietro Ghedin. Napoli at the last minute had to do without Livio Pin, replaced by former Lazio, Giuseppe Massa.
The game was very tight from the start with both sides very cautious. Not much happened in the first half as the defences systematically got the better of the attacks and there was a lack of urgency in both teams. There was basically one chance each. For Lazio, on a Sergio Clerici cross, Mattolini had to dive to anticipate Bruno Giordano, while for Napoli a Massa-Beppe Savoldi one-two was then finished weakly by the former Lazio midfielder. Lazio had a few corners but nothing more and the first half petered out. Lazio 0 Napoli 0, a fair reflection on the proceedings so far.
For the second half Lazio replaced a strangely subdued Giordano with Renzo Garlaschelli. Lazio livened up slightly and attacked with more continuity. In the 51st minute Mattolini made a reflex save on a Ghedin effort and a few minutes later a bad back pass by Pellegrino Valente gave Clerici an opening but the keeper was quicker than the 36-year-old Brazilian nicknamed "Gringo".
In the 71st minute Claudio Garella was finally called into action on a Moreno Ferrario header.
Lazio went into the lead three minutes later. In the 74th minute Andrea Agostinelli, going towards the right by-line, fired a low, flat cross which passed a series of players in the area and reached Garlaschelli on the other side, Garlasca made no mistake with his right foot. Lazio 1 Napoli 0.
At this point, Napoli were forced to attack and threw on forward Antonio Capone, for midfielder Massa. They were never really dangerous until two minutes from time. In the 88th minute the Azzurri crossed into the area with Valente, Savoldi tried a shot but sliced it and the ball came back to Valente on the right, he squared it into the middle where Antonio Juliano stretched and beat Garella with a low right foot. Lazio 1 Napoli 1. The approximately 15,000 Neapolitans predictably went crazy.
There was no time for either side to go for a winner and the game ended a 1-1 draw. The second half had been better but it was by no means a vintage game. A draw was probably a fair result but Lazio were punished just as were starting to see the victory in sight.
Who played for Lazio
Garella, Pighin, Ghedin, Wilson, Manfredonia, Cordova, Agostinelli, Clerici, Giordano (46' Garlaschelli), Lopez, Boccolini
Substitutes: Avagliano, Pivotto
Manager: Vinicio
Who played for Napoli
Mattolini, Bruscolotti, Valente, Restelli, Ferrario, Stanzione, Massa (75' Capone), Juliano, Savoldi, Vinazzani, Chiarugi
Substitutes: Favaro, La Palma
Manager: Di Marzio
Referee: Gussoni
Goals: 75' Garlaschelli, 88' Juliano
Sources
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