Coppa Italia, Group Phase, Game 1
Wednesday, August 18, 1982
Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Lazio Perugia 3-2
Returning for his first game with Lazio since 1980, Giordano leads the charge as the Biancocelesti beat Perugia from 0-2 down.
Italy had won the World Cup and the Federation took two years off all the suspensions of players involved in the match fixing scandal of 1980. As a consequence, Lazio stars Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia were available again.
Lazio had played a few friendlies, but the season officially started today with the Coppa Italia. The Biancocelesti were in group three together with Napoli, Avellino, Perugia, Atalanta and Salernitana. The top two would continue to the round of 16.
The match
A lot of excitement and expectation for this game. Unfortunately Manfredonia was suspended but the Stadio Flaminio had all eyes on Bruno Giordano, his first official game since that terrible day in Pescara on March 23 1980, when Lazio lost and Giordano, Manfredonia, Pino Wilson and Massimo Cacciatori were arrested for match fixing. There were 40,000 spectators, which was something unheard of for an August game in the capital.
Perugia though did not come to Rome merely to be a sparring partner. They had an excellent team, with veteran Domenico Caso as playmaker. Lazio had problems in midfield and there were large spaces for the Grifoni. Perugia went ahead in the 28th minute. Free kick, Caso to Danio Montani, big whack, Maurizio Moscatelli managed to parry but it was a simple tap-in for Moreno Morbiducci.
The goal woke Lazio up, at least a little. Gabriele Podavini to Vincenzo D’Amico who dribbled past a couple of players and shot, but Dario Marigo, former Lazio goalkeeper, was miraculous.
Things did not change in the second half and got even worse. In the 54th minute a quick Perugia counter attack and Morbiducci got his brace.
Giordano, visibly emotional, at this point took matters into his own hands and stepped up the quality level. Lazio reduced the deficit in the 63th minute. Stefano Ferretti, who had substituted Roberto Tavola in the interval, tried a shot but miskicked it. Giordano took advantage and with a powerful strike beat Marigo. The Perugia goalkeeper parried another Giordano shot before Michele De Nadai with a great whack from outside the box equalised for Lazio in the 77th minute.
The Biancocelesti smelt blood and went for the kill. In the 84th minute, with Perugia parking the bus in front of goal, Giordano passed to D’Amico who tried a shot. The ball was cleared, Enrico Vella tried again, cleared again, then it was Podavini’s turn but once more the Perugia defence walled effectively. Ball went back to Poda, another massive shot and this time Lazio scored.
A fantastic win, but some of the midfield problems would have to be solved soon.
Who played for Lazio
Moscatelli, Podavini, Chiarenza, Vella, Pochesci, Perrone, Vagheggi, Tavola (46’ Ferretti), Giordano, De Nadai, D’Amico (89’ Badiani).
Substitutes: Orsi, Saltarelli, Surro
Manager: Clagluna
Who played for Perugia
Marigo, Montani, D.Tacconi, Frosio, Ottoni, Caneo, Piga, Caso, G.Pagliari (60' Vittiglio), De Gradi (68' Bernardini), Morbiducci
Substitutes: Di Leo, Zagano, Bernardini
Manager: Agroppi.
Referee: Vitali
Goals: 28’ Morbiducci, 54’ Morbiducci, 63’ Giordano, 77’ De Nadai, 84’ Podavini
Sources
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