Lazio get in grid for final promotion burst

Season 1987-88

Game 26, Serie B

Sunday, March 27, 1988

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Piacenza 5-2

A convincing win over Piacenza moves Lazio into promotion places ready for the grand finale

Source SS Lazio Museum

So far, Lazio were in the heart of the promotion race. The Biancocelesti had won 8 (including Cremonese 1-0), drawn 12 and lost 5, so on 28 points. They had started off reasonably well (14 points in first 12 matches) but then had seven consecutive draws (not the end of the world but not exactly promotion pace). They had then won three out of the next four and seemed to be back on track before drawing at Cremona and losing badly 0-2 at Padova. Lazio were joint 5th with Lecce and one point from 3rd placed Cremonese and Bari. Lazio needed a win today.

The match

A cloudy and very windy day saw about 30,000 congregate at the Olimpico.

Lazio were without goalkeeper Silvano Martina who had been suspended for three games following his sending off at Padova a week earlier. His place in the nets was taken by Alessandro Salafia. Lazio also had absences in defender Massimo Piscedda and midfielder Giancarlo Camolese.

Piacenza had defenders Claudio Gentile, Luca Marcato and midfielder Antonio Tessariol missing plus forward Roberto Simonetta.

Lazio understood relatively early on that the best way to get past Piacenza's solid and crowded midfield was to pump long balls to the oncoming wing players, especially left full-back Paolo Beruatto.

Piacenza were solid but took no initiatives of their own and the feared Armando Madonna was isolated up front.

In the 20th minute Lazio took the lead. Ciro Muro put in a freekick cross from the left into a crowded area and it was seen at the last moment and parried by Fabrizio Grilli but on the rebound Gabriele Savino half volleyed it in from close range. Lazio 1 Piacenza 0.

Lazio seemed in control but in the 29th minute the visitors equalised albeit with a stroke of luck. Paolo Tomasoni hit a low free kick which hit Raimondo Marino and wrong footed Salafia. Lazio 1 Piacenza 1.

Lazio were unperturbed and continued to go forward. In the 32nd minute Paolo Monelli tried to dribble his way through the area and on the loose ball Savino again reacted quickest and fired past Grilli. Lazio 2 Piacenza 1

Lazio were now playing well and seven minutes later scored again. Beruatto charged down the left, reached the by-line and put in a perfect cross which centre-forward Monelli headed past Grilli. Lazio 3 Piacenza 1 and halftime score.

For the second half the Piacentini replaced midfielder Claudio Venturi with Giuseppe De Gradi. In the 58th minute they also replaced defender Ivano Comba with future Lazio Massimiliano Nardecchia.

Lazio again seemed to have things in their grasp but another own goal complicated things. In the 59th minute a De Gradi freekick, from about thirty metres out on the left, took a deflection off Domenico Caso, Gianfranco Serioli moved away and Salafia was left trying to catch thin air. Lazio 3 Piacenza 2.

Caso was then taken off, by no means a punishment but for a fresher and more physical Antonio Elia Acerbis.

Lazio never risked excessively but obviously with only a one goal advantage there was a certain level of apprehension.

Any worries however were swept away with just under ten minutes to go. In the 81st minute, on a Muro corner, Angelo Gregucci showed off his specialty and with an imperious header restored the double lead. Lazio 4 Piacenza 2.

The game was practically won but just to make sure Eugenio Fascetti took off striker Monelli and threw on midfielder Vincenzo Esposito.

In the 86th minute the score line took on an even more one-sided look. Muro went on a skilful solo run on the right, cut in and tried his luck from just inside the right vertex of the box, the ball was ever so lightly touched by Tomasoni and ended up in the back of the net. The goal was given to the Neapolitan midfielder but more importantly Lazio 5 Piacenza 2 and game over.

A reassuring performance and win for Lazio after the previous week's disaster. The Biancocelesti were back on the promotion trail and moved up to joint 3rd with Cremonese, Bari and Lecce (the first two had drawn while the Giallorossi had won). With four promotion slots available the battle was reaching its crucial and decisive moment. Lazio seemed ready.

Who played for Lazio

Salafia, Marino, Beruatto, Pin, Gregucci, Piscedda, Caso (62' Acerbis), Savino, Galderisi, Muro, Monelli (83' Esposito)

Substitutes: Fiori, Brunetti, Rizzolo

Manager: Fascetti

Who played for Piacenza

Grilli, Comba (58' Nardecchia), Colasante, Tomasoni, Bortoluzzi, Venturi (46' De Gradi), Madonna, Snidaro, Seroli, Roccatagliata, Manighetti

Substitutes: Bordoni, Imberti, Bottazzi

Manager: Rota

Referee: Esposito

Goals: 20' Savino, 29' Marino (og), 32' Savino, 39' Monelli, 59' Caso (og), 81' Gregucci, 86' Muro

Sources

Lazio Wiki